Mobile Suit Gundam: Unicorn's Countercharge
by Thaeonblade
Summary: In the year UC 93, Humanity faces destruction at the hands of Char and his Neo-Zeon Triumvirate. Unable to face this threat alone, Amuro Ray must gather an irregular force of his own to defend the Earth and bring an end to his own personal war once and for all. AU Mega-Crossover with several Gundam series and other surprises.
1. Prologue: Liberty Flash

**La Vie en Rose Station Tres, UC 93**

"We are exiting hyperspace, brace for reentry." The Captain of the vessel warned through the intercom.

"Acting like this is the first time we've been in space." Poral Guilish spat in annoyance from her seat.

"He's just following protocol. Respect and tolerate it." Director Clehna Hacswell advised.

"Whatever...I say he's full of it." Milly Childer chided. "You didn't do all of this boring stuff in the Federation, did ya Chris?"

"No, we didn't get any warning." Red-haired Christina Wiseman joked and snapped another photo of the energy vortex outside of their ship. "Not as good, but it'll due."

"Why are you taking all of those photos?" Mona Vespez asked her newest co-worker.

"My friend Al loved taking photos." Chris shot captured another image of her co-workers. "And it brushed off on me. So I want to capture every moment that I'm alive. You never know when that could end."

"Philosophical, but meaningful." Nina Purpleton offered kindly, though her expression was downcast. "You've shown that same passion with your new station."

"Thanks." Chris replied with a smile. "Being accepted into Anaheim Electronics has been my goal for years. It's great to set a goal and then make it."

"Well spoken, Mrs. Wiseman." The Director agreeded as the ship exited hyperspace, sending a jolt of adrenaline through it's passengers. "Damn...you never get used to that kick...do you?"

"I never did." Chris admitted and watched in amazement as the Anaheim vessel flew past a gigantic space station. "Is that...is it a..."

"Golan Corps Third Model Defense Platform?" Nina finished for the amazed Chris. "A space defense station armed with 50 plasma Turbolaser batteries; 24 Torpedo launchers; 15 Tractor Beams; 30 close-range anti-ship cannons; and 20 anti-ms guns. That station alone could hold off three Zeon fleets back to back and not get a dent in its shields."

"And that is why Golan Arms is number 2 in the Technological Manufacturing Field." October Saren mused confidently. "But the gap between number 1 and 2 is pretty wide."

"Actually, there's a lot of up and coming production companies that have been rising lately." Another new employee named Todd stated as the vessel flew towards the large colony known as the Stellar Liberty. It was a newer and more advanced colony produced by a cooperation between the Kaiba and Yanzaki rival companies in exchange for joint ownership. It boosted a large population of at least 50 million and possessed state of the art atmosphere control and air quality.

Chris tilted her head in curiosity. "Like who?"

"Romefeller...Barton's Foundation...the Vist Corporation...Yajima Corporation...not to mention Britannia and the US's in-house production capabilities-"

"Point taken." Nina cut-in or else Todd would drone on. "This exhibition will our chance to prove why Anaheim is number one and stay there."

"Our entrance will more than suffice." Their director added, reminding her charges of the ship that they flew on. The Third Model of the La Vie en Rose that they flew was based on Anaheim's signature orbital manufacturing plants.

But previous models relied on the orbit of a planet, moon or sufficiently large satellite. The vessel currently in use was using engines powerful enough to propel it from the Earth Sphere all the way to Pluto and back towards the Mars sphere. This effectively made the newest La Vie en Rose a truly mobile manufacturing, repair, testing and analysis plant.

It had no weapons, but the vessel was also equipped with Capital+ shields and Grade Delta Gundarium integrated into the molecular structure of its hull. This meant that the vessel was more durable than the new Star Defender line of capital ships that the Federation had begun producing.

"Tell what? The exhibition won't start for some time." Clehna began as the La Vie en Rose began to enter the colony's 2nd Docking bay. "Why don't we take a trip to this Mega Mall that so much money was wasted to make? Consider it a company reward."

The technicians all cheered and reminded themselves why Clehna was their favorite boss.

Nia smiled at her old friend's kindness. _"Today was going to be a good day."  
_

* * *

 **Golan III Defense Platform**

"Why do you have a gun if you're not gonna use it?"

"I've heard this riddle before, drop it." The commander was as bored as his subordinates. For all of the supposed firepower of their Golan Defense Platform, it didn't count for squat if there was nothing to shoot at. Originally, there used to be a debris field from a battle that waged here between Axis Zeon and two Rival Earth Federation Factions, the AEUG and the Titans. But, the Golan had wasted that field days ago.

"Think we can shoot something after the Exhibition?" A young corporal asked, referring to the Stellar Liberty's weapons and technology exhibition about to take place later that day.

"Like what corporal?" One of the officers asked. "It's useless unless the target's your momma!"

"Why you!" The corporal and officer leaped into each other and started mashing fists and lips. The commander didn't even bother breaking them up, the two men were a cute couple anyway.

"Take it to your quarters or I'm taking you to the air lock." The commander would never do that, but he liked to joke around once in a while. As the couple continued their fight out of the bridge, one of the officers put on their detection muffs and was messing with their console. "Pick up another space turtle?"

"No sir...it's a mobile suit." The officer stated. "And it's not a Federation model."

The commander's smile faded at once. "Contact the mobile suit. I want a visual on this thing."

"What if it's just a derelict leo?"

"What if it's a gundam?" The commander sarcastically countered. "Visual. Now."

"Found it sir!" Sure enough, the Golan Station now witnessed a lone mobile suit approach the stations perimeter. It was carrying several objects, but appeared to be moving sluggishly as if it were low on fuel.

"I attempted to hail the mobile suit on line 111-14, but there was no reply." A no response on the universal frequency meant that the object either couldn't communicate or was purposefully refusing to communicate."

"Arm all starboard guns." A precaution straight from the book, but the commander didn't get his rank for stupidity.

"I recognize that model!" A radar officer shouted. "That's a Jupiter Ghost mobile armor!"

"Jupiter Ghost?" The commander scoffed, he wasn't going to waste ammunition on an outdated and failed pet project. He vaguely recalled the Jupiter Ghost being an attempt to turn a Rick Dom into a mobile armor, but it was considered a waste. "Send out a squadron to capture that obsolete piece of junk."

"Sir, I recommend shooting it out of the stars now-"

"This station was designed for heavy assault, not wasting its time with trash." The commander stated. Warning screeches sounded through the command deck, causing the commander to grit his teeth in frustration. "Now what?"

"The Jupiter Ghost is locked on to us sir." Another surveillance officer warned, the viewscreen showing the rick dom mobile armor arming and aiming a large and long missile cannon at the station. "Defense Squad 67 won't be in range to fire for another two minutes."

"No matter. Raise shields to full power, just in case." The Commander ordered and felt a sense of dread return. His hands tightened into fists as he watched five GM III's and 3 Jegans race for the outdated mobile armor. "Extend our surveillance range to make sure there aren't any others-"

"This is Romeo 8 of the 67th!" A young pilots voice shouted in the comm. "I am detecting a high energy build-up in the unidentified unit! This build-up is consistent with that the Solomon Express Atomic Bazooka! We won't reach it in time! Evacuate the station while-"

"Sir! We've lost Romeo 8's signal!" The commander and all of the command deck soon saw why. A great white flash erupted on the starboard side of the station and seemed to be hurtling towards the station.

 _"There are worst ways to die."_ Commander Lot Olsen faced his fate with dignity. At least, as much dignity as one can manage when the station created to protect you is transformed into a molten cage of burning and melting metal. Said cage soon filled with highly radioactive heat which incinerated cloth and skin from the bodies of the Golan Stations crew. Even the powerful deflector shield only managed to ward off a third of the atomic beams destructive power.

Making what should have been a painful, but quick death into an agonizing demise filled with pain and fire...

* * *

 **USS Vigil**

"What the hell?" The destruction of the Golan Station was witnessed by the Vigil's crew as the ship exited the Stellar Liberty's 5th docking bay. When the flash had ended, nothing remained except for a crisp hollow shell that was once the stations port-side hull.

Known for quick thinking, Captain Hellard grit his teeth and nerve. "I want a full scan on the area at max range! If any of our people are still alive out there, contact them and find out what the hell just happened!"

"Captain, we've found five of our men!" Hellard heard an officer declare. "Three GMS and two Jegans...all damaged, but life signs are strong."

"Contact those men and send a Base Jabber to extract them." A second after that command, the bridge was filled with the sound of warning sirens. "What now?"

"Sir! We've got multiple signals inbound! Thirteen of them!" The Vigil's sensors quickly honed in on the newly arrived intruders and gave a visual feed to the deck. "Zeon units and they're coming right for us!"

"Char's finally shown himself." Captain Hellard smirked despite the situation. Four of the enemy units were Zaku II Kai suits supported by four Geara Doga units; Two Rick Dom IIs; two Kamfer space-type units and a red Doga suit that the Vigil's databanks could not recognize. "Deploy green and black squadrons to intercept and destroy them. I want Red Squad to pick up the Golan's surviving units and scout for the Zeon transport ship. Those Zeks didn't come out of nowhere after all."

"What if they did?" The XO who asked that question was bitch-slapped by his captain. "What was that for?"

"For asking a stupid question." Hellard stated and turned to where three squads of 7 well-trained and equipped mobile suits were deployed. One squad flew towards the Golan's wreckage and the others towards the enemy. "All wings report in."

"Red Leader standing by."

"Green Leader standing by."

"Black Leader standing by." The self-confident Stark Jegan Commander declared. "Do we give the zeks a warning shot or engage at will?"

Hellard never liked these protocols, but rules were rules. "Engage at will, Black Leader. No mercy."

* * *

 **Stellar Liberty**

"And that's the last time we let Todd ask for directions!"

"WHAT? I didn't know that there were 13 Mega-malls here!" Todd complained to Milly who was having none of it. "Who has that much money to waste?"

"Welcome to UC 93, Mr. Alexander." Nina shrugged as the group crossed a walkway towards the Liberty Mall. Which looked more like a Fortress than a Mega-Mall. "There's no way we could afford anything in there without the company budget."

"How much money's on the budget?" Chris asked with curiosity. "A hundred per person?"

"Normally it's 30 thousand." Mona answered to Chris' quiet shock. "And that's not counting Vacation benefits...free hotels...free visits to any spa or hot spring in town...free medical insurance for all needs, no questions asked."

"And that's just for beginners. You'll get more with the more sales that you make!" Nina assured Chris, who just smirked. "Do your hardest and you'll be taken care of. Take it from me, Anaheim rewards good work ethic."

Chris nodded and briefly looked towards a black haired kid that passed them. Her eyes narrowed with a flash of anger which frightened Nina.

"Chris?"

"Sorry...I just..." Chris' eyes projected calm joy as she briefly looked back to Nina. "There's a lot that I didn't know about this company before I joined it...it's all overwhelming."

"You'll get used to it eventually-" Nina was rocked from her feet and nearly thrown off the bridge. But Chris caught her and stabilized her. "Thanks!"

"Don't mention it." Chris stopped suddenly and looked up towards the ceiling. "Anyone hear that?"

"Hear what?" Milly asked as the technicians rocked from rumbling affecting the bridge. Chris held onto the railing and narrowed her eyes with almost cold focus. "Chris? What is it?"

Chris was shaking, her hands trembling as the rumbling grew louder. "We need to move. Get off the bridge..."

"Why?" Nina looked towards their director who answered her phone and spoke in a hushed whisper. "We can at least get off the bridge."

"Why is everyone so damned scared of a bridge?" Mona asked though she had no trouble keeping pace with the technicians as they ran across the bridge and made it to the large mall's entrance. "Anyone?"

"It's not the bridge that's the problem." Director Hacswell answered, hanging up her phone to address her charges. "The colony is under attack. I just got word from the Colony's security sensors that the Golan Defense Station was destroyed."

"Destroyed!" Poral cried out in disbelief and shock. "That's impossible! The shields on that station should protect it from-"

"They didn't protect it well enough. The station's gone and the Vigil is engaging Zeon intruders." Hacswell stated, the ground shaking from another rumble. "Vacation's over, it's time to go."

* * *

 **Engagement**

"Got it chief." Black Leader switched off the safety measures on his Type-A Stark Jegan and opened the channel to his team and Green Squadron. "Alright hawks, we've got 14 against 13 so no pussy-footing, got it? We charge in hard and fast, cut em in half and break em apart. Blacks 2 and 4 are with me. Everyone else, suppression fire on their middle."

"Green Squadron will attack their flanks and pressure them." Green Leader added. "God speed."

"You too." Black Leader didn't worry about his men's pattern, he'd fought with them since the Stardust incident and trusted them with his life. As he neared the enemy, he saw the Zakus and Gearas form into a skirmish formation with the Doms and Kampfers as a loose rearguard. "This is it hawks! Hold on to your butts!"

It was impossible to know who fired the first shot.

Black Leader sped his Jegan towards one of the Zakus and fired his beam rifle at it's chest. His first shot missed, but the next three shots struck it's chasis, neck and cockpit and exploded. The Jegan avoided a retaliatory attack from the Zakus wingman and used his shield to deflect the Gearas cannon. Black Leader's Jegan was forced back from the shock and watched the Geara charge him with a heat hawk ignoring Black 2's shot which took off it's leg.

"Spartan are ya?" Black Leader shifted his Jegan backwards to avoid the heated axe and aimed his left forearm at its head. "Neat." Two grenades impacted on the Jegans head and torso and detonated. The Geara wasn't completely destroyed, but Black Leader highly doubted that anyone survived.

"Black Leader! I've got a boogie on me!" Black 3 cried out as her damaged Nouvel GM was frantically avoiding fire from the surprisingly quick kampfer that pursued her. "I can't shake it!"

"Keep your head on Black 3, I'm coming your way." The Stark Jegan flew through the melee, proud that his men had executed their plan perfectly with no deaths thus far. On the contrary, the enemy had lost 2 Gearas and 3 Zakus with the rest being scattered.

Except for the Red Doga.

 _"What's he waiting for?"_ Black Leader kept his eye on that Doga, but focused on the kampfer coming into his sights. "Here I am, watch the birdie!" Black Leader locked onto the blue zeon mobile suit and launched a salvo of missiles from his shield that hunted the kampfer and destroyed it.

"Thanks Black Leader, I owe you one."

"We're not done yet. Black 2 and Black 4, tighten up." Black Leader's jegan was soon joined by the jegans of his wing-men. "Status report?"

"My right arms hit, but I'm okay."

"I'm fine." Black 4 blunted as the remaining enemy units retreated towards the Red Doga. "Pursue sir?"

 _"That's what he wants us to do."_ "Screw that, let's waste the bastard from a distance." All four units armed their missiles and aimed for the Red Doga. "Enjoy the fireworks, bitch!" Black Leader wasn't bluffing either, the explosions appeared to have explosions within them just to highlight the destruction that he'd unleashed. When the fireworks ended, not a trace of the Red Geara was left.

"Beautiful sir." Black 2 muttered with a tear and gasped in shock soon afterwards. "Sir! We've just lost Red Squadron!"

"What?" Black Leader couldn't believe it, but it was true. The GMs and Jeddah units that made up Red Squadron were destroyed along with the units that they were supposed to rescue. "Why didn't we see this until now?"

"The enemy must be jamming our sensors and long-range comms-" Black 2 screamed as a beam seared through his Jegan's chest and caused it to explode.

"We've lost Black 2!" Black Leader called out and spotted the Stealth Dom that had killed him. "Congrats! Here comes a double kill!" Black Leader sped towards the Stealth Dom and fired to take out both of it's arms with one shot and followed up with a shot to it's large left leg. Black Leader could have killed him with another shot to the chest, but he instead drew out his beam saber and stabbed the disabled Dom through it's cockpit.

"Sir! More enemies incoming-" Black 5 warned before his unit was ran through by the beam saber of a stealth Gelgoog. Soon enough the two squadrons were surrounded by more than a dozen Zeon units emerging from stealth fields.

The tables turned quickly with the victorious being thrown on the defensive. The enemy used their element of surprise to ambush most of the stretched out Green Squadron and down their leader before he could readjust. His own men were quicker to adapt and defend, but Black Leader realized that his odds were decreasing with each moment.

Black Leader kicked away the silent Dom towards an approach Marasai and shot through the Dom to headshot the Marasai. "All remaining units! Fall back to the Vigil. I repeat, fall back to the Vigil-" A pulse laser took off the top of Black Leader's head and forced him to look up towards his latest attacker.

The Red Geara was above him.

It's arms were crossed on its chest in a gesture of sheer arrogance with four tiny devices flying around is legs. One of which fired another pulse laser that seared through Black 4's head.

"I'm blind out here! I repeat, I'm blind-" Black 4 was silenced when a Kampfers shotgun blasted through Black 4s jegan and left it floating silently through space.

"These fucking zeks owe me 200 dollars." Black Leader spat and drew out his beam saber into his left hand with the beam rifle in his right. "Wanna a piece of me? Here I come!" Uncaring for his chances, Black Leader charged the Red Geara and fired every piece of ammunition that he had.

The Red Geara motioned with its hand and the small devices flew towards their prey.

Black Leader watched with stunned amazement as the devices emitted a rainbow ray from their points which stopped his particle beams and missiles right in their tracks.

Right in front of the speeding Black Leader.

"This is bullshit." Black Leader was oddly calm even as his life was ended by the very weapons that he'd fired...

* * *

 **USS Vigil**

"Sir! Black Leader is down!"

"Damn!" Red Squad was down and what remained of the Green and Black Squads were being overwhelmed by the surprise attack by enemy reinforcements. "Provide covering fire now!"

"Captain! This is Green 2! We need fire support now!" The damaged GM frantically reported. Captain Hellard watched another Stark Jegan duel and fly around a Zaku II amidst the retreat. By all accounts, the state-of-the-art mobile suit should have destroyed the Zaku by now, but the Zaku was actually winning.

And then the Jegan was destroyed.

By a Zaku.

The Captain had had enough. "Sabre Flight, deploy."

"Yes sir!" Ten GMs escorted by twenty Raven Sword space fighters launched from the Vigil's hangers and engaged the Zeks. Hellard always held back one squad in reserve and now he wished that it was Black Squadron. Black Squadron was his best asset with his most skilled and experienced pilots and now only two Blacks were still alive.

Scratch that...only one was now left.

"Sir! Sabre Flight has engaged and is holding off the enemy." Holding off would be an odd choice of words. The fighters were being torn apart with only 7 still alive and half of the Sabre GMs had been destroyed or disabled. Worst yet, the Zeon Group engaged the new enemies as if it were routine.

They were good.

And they were prepared.

"Slipspace rupture detected!" Hellard slumped into the captain's chair as his crew scrambled trying to figure out what was coming at them.

 _"This task force was a scouting party...a vanguard for the real attack group."_ "Have anti-ms guns shoot any Zek that comes within range and order Sabre Flight to fallback to the ship's perimeter." Hellard maintained his decorum despite his rising dread. "Arm all Turbolaser guns and mega-particle guns."

"Rupture analyzed sir...there is something coming at us." Hellard had to hold back a laugh. _"No shit."_ "And it's big...really big."

Hellard exhaled. "How big?" The ship rocked as the Captain got his answer.

Standing before the Vigil's stern was a big ship.

A very big ship that had to be more than 1500 meters long.

The very big 1500 meter long ship was of a peculiar design that Captain Hellard had never seen before. The vessel's front was formed into a rough teardrop drooped downward and formed a bulbous protrusion. The dorsal surface of the front section contained a recessed area that could have been the command deck. Near the aft end, the hull split into six sleek, wing-like structures.

"Can someone identify this big alien ship for me?" Captain Hellard inquired, noting that the Zeon units were now flying past him towards the colony that he was supposed to be protecting. "Anyone?"

"According to Colonial Archives..." The technician paused in sheer terror. "The Archives say that...that this vessel...is a-"

Hellard wasn't in the mood. "Get the cat off of your tongue and tell me what I'm looking at!"

The technician's eyes were red with unshed tears. "Sir...it's a Covenant Heavy Destroyer."

Hellard had to be pause. His eyes twitched and his hands shook from those three words. Of course, he had learned about the Covenant and their armada...he knew that the Covenant were a collection of aliens united by a worship of their long-past ancestors. He also knew that this Covenant waged a devastating and destructive war against Earth's colonial frontiers that ended in an uneasy treaty. He also knew that this Covenant split apart due to a religious schism and was fighting itself in ever-increasing numbers of splinter factions and separatists.

Why was there a Covenant ship here?

In the Sol System?

Composing himself, Hellard fell back on protocol. "Contact the alien vessel."

The communications officer blinked. "Come again, captain?"

"Hail the incoming vessel and establish contact. Are you deaf?"

"No sir...it's just that it's pointless-"

"Just follow your orders." As if resigned, the officer did his job and soon enough, Hellard had established contact with the alien vessel. The large vessel was just floating in place, it didn't even give any sign of preparing it's large arsenal of weapons such as pulse plasma cannons and other guns that Hellard was trying not to think about. "Unidentified vessel, this is Earth Federation Captain Hellard of the USS Vigil. You have entered Federation space unauthorized and unannounced. You are ordered to turn your vessel around and leave or you will be fired upon with all at my disposal-" The captain jumped back when his channel displayed the alien captain.

"Captain Hellard of the Vigil, I greet you. This is Shipmaster Valthor of the Scepter of Silence." A quad-jawed saurian creature with blue armor responded. "Resistance is futile. As you can see, I have you outmanned and outgunned before I even arrived. This sector is now under my command and you will yield or I will destroy you."

"I believe that you are mistaken." His crew stared at him in disbelief and shock, but the captain did not care. Hellard knew that the advantage was squarely in the alien's hands, but he choose not to back down. "I do not merely refer to my vessel, but also to the defenses of the Stellar Liberty behind me. Destroy me and you will be annihilated by the full might of this fully armed and operational battle station. You are the one who is outmanned and outgunned."

"So it would seem." Valthor replied ponderously and though Hellard could not be certain, it looked like Valthor was smirking with his left jaws. "But as you humans say, appearances can be deceiving."

"Sir! Detecting high energy build-up in the Covenant vessel!" An officer warned the exasperated captain. "It's about to fire on us! It's arming it's Energy projector!"

"What is that?" Hellard asked and quickly remembered that he was in combat. "Fire at will and raise shields to maximum-" Suddenly, Hellard was surrounded by a brilliant blue and white light. The light flooded his bridge and illuminated steel and bone, burning cloth and hair.

It flashed so quickly that Hellard barely felt anything. Not the flesh burning from his body, not his bones melting into powder, not his chair being blown into dust, and certainly not his ship being irradiated and practically cut in half.

No...Hellard was dead within half of a second along with everyone on his crew.

* * *

 **Stellar Liberty**

"The trans-rail is two miles east." Nina pointed out. "We can take it back to the Rose and leave-" It was at this moment that same Blue-White Cleansing Beam that destroyed the USS Vigil also tore a mile-wide hole through the colony.

Destroying the entire trans-rail system in the process.

"Or...we could run away from the lasers and explosions." Hearing no argument, the technicians turned around and struggled against a distortion of wind and air to make it to the mall's entrance. Fortunately, the emergency control systems engaged and stopped the distortion.

"Mobile suits!" A pedestrian yelled as all looked up to see a large group of mono-eye mobile suits fly down through the hole and land upon the colony floor. "ZEON! ZEON'S IN THE COLONY!"

"Look!" Mona cried out, her finger pointing to the many sleek purple vessels that were following the mobile suits and firing mercilessly upon buildings and people. The colonial defense leos deployed to ward off the invaders, but many were destroyed as they appeared from their deployment panels and the rest were mangled.

It couldn't even be called a battle.

Five Leos engaged a Geara Doga and their machine guns failed to penetrate the barely visible shields above it's armor. The Doga responded by lazily shooting down each leo and decorated it's knife with the blood of the last pilot.

"Plan! Now!" Director Hacswell demanded, the other technicians too mesmerized and scared to turn away from the carnage all around them.

"I know a way!" Chris volunteered though she still glanced over to the battle. "I was stationed on this colony when I was with the Federation. I know of an emergency escape vessel that we can use to reach the Rose..."

"Why didn't you say anything about this before?" Nina increndiously demanded. Nearby, a GM was knocked on its side and had it's head stomped in by an over-eager Rick Dom. "Oh come on!"

"I didn't remember till now...and...I didn't think we'd...need it..." Chris managed despite her fear. "But it's based on a core fighter...with a proto-type stealth system...remember when I said that the mall's built where a base used to be? The fighter is in an emergency bunker under the mall...it might still be there..."

"Do you even know if this thing will work?" October asked. "If that stealth system fails then we'll be cooked like chickens!"

"But if we don't do something then we'll die anyway!" The ground shock from the fall of a downed Geara Doga which crashed into the street. The victorious Jeddah fired upwards and stepped aside for the downed ReGelgu that fell beside it.

Any hope that this skilled Jeddah offered ended when a Red Doga fell upon it with two beam sabers and cut the Jeddah into three separate cauterized sections.

That settled things for the Director. "I'll take my chances. Lead the way."

Chris nodded amidst terror. "Yes ma'am."

"Incoming!" Todd warned as he ducked under an overturned car. The ground shook from the impact of a fallen Jegan. The team recognized the suit as an Enhanced Armor Type outfitted with stronger engines and additional Gundarium armor on it's chasis and torso. The Jegan stood up despite a broken leg and fired its bazooka towards a large hover-craft. The purple craft exploded into pieces.

The Director wasn't about to wait around. "MOVE IT!"

"This way!" Chris marshaled the technicians into the mall just as a Gelgoog slip down into the street and broke down a barbershop. The Gelgoog attempted to stand, but was shot in it's chest by a hovering Jegan that turned to block an incoming Geara Doga. The two units clash from air to ground as the Jegan finally gained the edge with a surprise vulcan attack to the Doga's head. Now blind, the Doga was stabbed through it's back with a beam saber and kicked into the mall.

"Come on!" Mona said when the group ducked from the debris and items thrown at them. The Doga's mono-eye lost it's power and the Jegan turned to engage a skilled Zaku Kai using balloons as decoys. "Glad they're having fun."

"Wish I was with him." Chris muttered as the group ran down the stalled escalator with thousands scrambling in a mad panic all around them. The mall was rocked as an energy rocket blew open the ceiling and revealed a pair of Stark Jegans fighting back to back against a swarm of Purple Hover ships. "Elevators this way!"

"The elevator is right there!" Nina had to correct herself when a heavily armored Jagd Doga crushed said elevator shaft under its weight. The One-armed Leo that had fired it's harpoon cable through the Doga's neck was now using the harpoon as leverage to tear the suit in half. "Nevermind."

"Guess Leos aren't useless." Milly observed as the Leo grabbed the Doga's gatling gun and flew up into the battle above. "Which elevator are we looking for?"

"An older elevator! It should lead down to the bunker!" Chris shouted as she sped through the frantic crowd. "Look for any column with a rusted Federation insignia on it!"

"It can't be that easy." The Director scoffed, only for Todd to point out an mis-painted column one level below them. "Of course, more running."

And run the technicians did.

Despite going further down into the mall, the battle above them wasn't wasting time catching up to them. Alien spaceships kept crashing through the multi-layered mega-mall; Defense Force Units sometimes retreated into the mall for cover or to regroup; Zeon Suits thundered their canons against their enemies; and the alien warcraft continued to bombard the city above.

"Finally." Chris managed energetically, though the others were tired and at their physical limit. "We're almost home free!"

"Need a minute...need...rest..." Milly managed before a GM flew down and fired it's Hyper Bazooka through five Dogas, three ships and three zakus. But the newly christened Ace was soon surrounded by small red funnels that proceeded to lock the unit in an Iron Maiden.

Made of lasers.

"FLY FOOLS! FLY!" Falling smoldered pieces from the brave GM gave the group much needed motivation to reach the elevator.

The slow elevator.

"Come on! Come one! Work damn it!" The Director ordered while the elevator levels slowly climbed heedlessly of the carnage above and around it. "Fucking Hudson Model elevators! Whose idea was it to make such a damned slow elevator! They said it would be faster and grant greater access space station areas!"

"But it is faster than the 98?"

"Everything is faster than the 98." Nina mused when a Red Doga landed nearby. Everyone held their breath while the suit's mono-eye searched for any enemies. "Including him."

The horned red Doga stepped towards the wreckage of the torn apart GM and smash its foot on the head. The red funnels from before folded into its leg and then it boosted up into the above level.

Nina signed in relief. "Thank you Mother Mary...that was close."

"Finally!" The elevator doors opened very slowly. Not in the mood to wait, the technicians all "sped" up the doors by shoving them apart quicker. Everyone flooded into the spacious, but dull appearing elevator car. "Now what?"

"We go down." The elevator was rocked when a GM fell onto the basement followed by four Zeon suits. The GM was armless and firing it's vulcans at smaller targets swarming its body. A squad of armored aliens systematically tore into the downed GM until it ceased all functions, leaving the the aliens free to start cutting into the cockpit.

"We've seen quite enough here." Director Clehna Hacswell pushed the controls repeatedly, her eyes never moving as the aliens pried out the defiant pilot and proceeded to gut the poor child alive. "The elevator disagrees."

"Shouldn't we...you know...help him?" October asked though no one was going to take up the offer. Besides, the pilots head was already being kicked between the smaller aliens like it was a soccer ball. "Just thought I'd ask."

Then the elevator doors started to close. "FINALLY!" Nina slapped her hand over Milly's mouth, but too late to keep the aliens from hearing her.

One alien armed with a sword charged the elevator before its doors could close. Nina prayed for a quick death and instead was answered with salvation from above.

A left-over beam rifle had fallen on the alien and trapped it under the rifle from the waist down.

"Sucks to be you." Nina chuckled. The alien cursed in a language that no one could understand as the doors finally closed and the elevator fell downwards with surprising speed. "That was close..."

"We're not out of this yet, Miss Purpleton." Clehna reminded her charge as the elevator made it to the bottom floor with surprising speed. "That's odd? How come it took longer for it to come down here than to go up?"

"Does it matter? It worked and we are safe." Chris and the technicians took scope of the small room they entered. It was empty, but Nina spotted the all too familiar insignia of the Federation Space Forces and knew that they were on the right path. "Stay close."

"There we go!" Milly cheered after working on the elevator controls. "Now no one can follow us."

"There's still millions of people up there!" Bryan grabbed Milly by her collar and roughly shook her. "We're leaving them to die!"

"Its them or all of us." Clehna sadly stated, Nina saw Chris look around the hall for what should be the entrance to the stealth fighter. "If we go back then the invaders will capture or kill us like the others. Escaping is the only way that we can warn the Federation about what has happened here."

"Assuming it can get far..." Nina joined in. "The Rose wasn't hit by that beam, which means that the enemy hasn't made it to our docking bay yet. It will be close, but we could escape if Chris' fighter is intact."

"Over here!" The techies heard Chris call out and ran down the hall. There, they found Chris had ditched her uniform jacket and was working on a device next a sealed door. "It's old, but give me a gippy and it will open."

The hall violently shook from an impact above them. "We don't have a gippy Wiseman!" Clehna yelled and roughly pushed Chris aside. "Allow me." The Director reached her hand through the wires and proceeded to pull out a connected pair of computer chips that sparked with power.

"ID recognized. Welcome General." The door opened, perplexing Chris and the other technicians.

Clehna Hacswell rubbed her sparking hand on Chris' jacket and smiled. "Sometimes fixing a problem requires a rough hand. Lead on, Mrs. Wiseman."

Chris tilt her head to the side in puzzlement. "Right then." Five minutes of running through an small old storage depot brought the technicians to their destination.

"Stylish." The base model of the fighter was based on the old Core Booster II Interceptor Type vessel, only it seemed sleeker with a black color on most of it's hull. "I hope the stealth part isn't the paint."

"Same here." Chris admitted to the other's shock. "What? I never actually piloted it. I was an MS pilot, remember? And it's a prototype..."

"Better than nothing at all." The Director ushered the techies to the ship to find a way to open it's pilot hatch or the cargo bay. "Lovely! We found a getaway car without a key."

"I might be able to fix that." Purpleton offered and ran over to a dusty console. The console was low on power, but activated when Nina punched in her CPU key and displayed the ship's status. "Yes! Figured that would work! The Core flight series all have similar internals so..."

"What are you doing?" Chris asked and was answered with the Stealth Booster disappearing and reappearing. "Whatever you're doing, it's working."

"Running through test procedures for the Core Boosters activation." Nina answered quickly as the booster briefly hovered in place and then landed. "The thing that this baby's missing is coordinates and an assigned vessel, but we can live with that. We're just going to a bigger boat after all."

"And we need bigger boat." Finally, the cargo hatch opened with the pilot capsule following after it. "Ha! You did it!"

"Well done Nina." The Director congratulated as the group flooded into the vessel. "Do either of you know how to fly this thing?"

"I can!" Chris jumped onto the fighter and entered the cockpit before anyone could approve or object.

Clehna Hacswell smiled and motioned Purpleton towards the vessel. "Carpe Diem."

"Carpe Diem." Nina shrugged and joined the rest of the group inside the cramped passenger section. "I feel like passengers were an afterthought."

"They were, darling." Clehna stated calmly as the ship hovered off of the ground. "This was meant to be an assault fighter, not a pleasure ship. Still, it's preferable to walking back to the Rose."

"Agreed." Without warning, the passengers were rocked back into their seats as the Stealth Booster accelerated through it's hanger trench. "Wiseman! Where was the warning?"

"Situation considered, I decided to skip all of that." Chris didn't even wait for the hanger doors to fully open and moved her ship on it's vertical axis to just barely fly back onto the surface. "WHOA! I DESERVE A RAISE FOR THAT!"

"Get us back to the La Vie en Rose and you'll get it!" Clehna shouted in exhilaration, ignoring the scene of defeat and slaughter in the colony landscape. The ship flew quietly and quickly through the colony, but the passengers saw enough to know that nothing could be done to save the colony.

The defense units had all been thrown into heaps of metal and melted alloy. Soldiers and pilots were herded into long lines where aliens of different shapes and sizes waited to brutally and mercilessly execute them. Zeon mobile suits controlled many city blocks and fired upon fleeing civilians, decorating the streets red with blood.

Worst yet, Milly vomited on Mona and filled the passenger section with a smell worst than blood and death.

"Everyone alright back there?" Chris asked through the intercomm. "We'll be at the Rose in ten minutes. No one's picked us up yet either...glad I was right about something..."

"Milly upchucked, but otherwise we are alive." Clehna replied even as Milly threw up on Poral. "If not for you, we'd be dead like all of those poor people down there. When we get out of this, I promise that you'll go far Mrs. Wiseman. The Institute does not lack for gratitude, especially towards prestigious employees."

"I'll hold you to that, Chief." Chris replied, guiding the ship down through relatively more peaceful city streets. "Looks like the Covenant hasn't gotten this far. Good...that means that the ships on this side are still intact. You may want to contact the Rose and tell them to open their doors for us."

"Good idea." Nina pulled out her phone, but a thought came to her. "Covenant?

"Whose the Covenant?" Mona asked after finally cleaning off Milly's vomit.

"The Aliens that invaded with Zeon." Chris quickly answered. "I heard about them back in the Academy and read about the battles on Harvest and Onyx...but is the first time that I've ever seen them...up close like this."

"The Covenant and Zeon working together?" Clehna noted with concern. "If it was just Zeon then that's no problem. But the Covenant too?"

"If this is the same Covenant that I'm thinking of, then it technically doesn't exist." Milly managed despite her dehydration and exhaustion. "The Covenant hasn't been united since it's three leading Prophets mysteriously died in the same day. Maybe Zeon's allied itself with a splinter faction."

"In either case, Covenant technology surpasses us in many fields." Nina added. "This could be trouble, especially if the Federation isn't warned."

"I see the docking station!" Chris yelled, the passengers looking upon thousands of people scrambling to reach any ship that they could find. "All of those people...they're trying to get away before the Covenant get to them."

"La Vie en Rose! This is Nina! Open the docking bay doors!" Nina shouted in her phone. "Nevermind the security protocols! We need to get aboard! Open the Dock and have the hanger open for us!"

"Can't we let some of them on our ship?" Poral pleaded to the resigned director. "Ma'am...we can fit hundreds of those people on board. We can take them with us-"

"The time it will take to get them aboard will give the Covenant time to find us." Clehna stated, Poral teared up and cried upon the director's chest. Clehna caressed her hair to comfort her. "I'm sorry, but reality dictates that the greater good demands sacrifice."

"Agreed, it just sicks that there's nothing we can do for them." Chris admitted as the booster flew over the crowd, sending down a gust that affecting cloth and hair without anyone knowing why. The docking bay doors for the Rose opened, allowing the Booster to fly into the bay towards the untouched Rose whose aft-hanger door was already open for the booster. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're home free.

The technicians cheered and embraced despite the mess and the smell. Nina couldn't help, but giggle and laugh. _"Everything's going to be okay!"_

As the booster landed, Director Clehna was already giving orders into her phone. "Captain, prep the ship's engines for take-off. I want the Rose away from this doomed colony in less than ten minutes."

"You may want to belay that order Director." Chris calmly suggested as everyone vacated the booster regrouped as the hanger doors closed. "That Covenant Cruiser isn't for show. By now, hundreds of smaller ships are setting a perimeter around the colony to prevent escapes."

"Which is why we need to leave ASAP while we have a chance." Nina added with Chris adjusted her skirt and oddly taking it off. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I hate this uniform." Nina and the others blinked when Chris spat on her discarded skirt and didn't seem to care that she only had boxer briefs on. "Or maybe I just hate the smell of blood on it."

"Mrs. Wiseman, considering the situation, I'm going to calmly ask you to return to your quarters and put on a cleaner attire." Director Clehna ordered with a brisk and annoyed tone. Chris merely licked her lips and tilted her head as if confused. "In the meantime, we're getting out of this hellhole."

"No you're not." As if things couldn't be more shocking, Chris now had a gun leveled against the group. "Tell the ship's captain to power down."

Director Clehna blinked, but was otherwise unmoved. "Young lady. It's clear that these events have messed with your common sense. Now, put down that gun and I will forgive you and give you your promised raise."

Chris' eyes beamed excitedly. "And a promotion?"

Clehna nodded. "As well as a promotion-"

A boom filled the air and afterwards, Nina wasn't sure which was worst. The blood that splashed over the others and onto the floor mixed with bits of bone and muscle or the fact that Nina didn't even flinch when she pulled the trigger.

Chris blew the smoke from her pistol's barrel. "Explosive bullets...overkill, but enjoyable overkill. This ammo's been outlawed since the Korean War, but everyone keeps using it. So I figured, why not me?"

Milly stepped towards Chris as if in denial. "Chris...why are you doing this? We're friends-"

"Friends? How much more obvious do I have to be for you to get it?" Chris pointed her pistol at Milly, shocking the latter into freezing in place. "I was putting on an act. I was lying to you all along. Using you to infiltrate this factory of death and destruction so that I could destroy it from the inside. The only reason that I'm not killing every last one of you is because my Real Friends have a use for you."

"A spy..." Nina muttered in rage. "You were never a member of the Federation...you were never assigned to this base...you didn't know about any stealth fighter...you were a liar about all of it!"

"Not all of it. I didn't know about the stealth fighter, I was relying on a tip from a friend on the inside." Chris mused. "Everything else? All true. I was a member of the Earth Federation during the One Year War...I was assigned to this colony for training before being reassigned elsewhere...I did pilot one mobile suit. A gundam. I used that gundam to down 13 confirmed kills and other unconfirmed kills. Don't believe me? I can show it to you later, Purpleton. I still have it after all of these years."

"You monster..."

Chris' smile disappeared. "Now that's mean." She walked closer and kicked the Director's headless body. "I only killed her because she'd get in my way. I was going to just capture all of you back at the mall. But I was worried about getting caught by friendly fire from the Quad-jaws, so I improvised. It wasn't even anything personal, she just had to die. But that's war right?"

"War?" Nina balled her hands into fist in pure rage, grieving for a woman who was a mentor and friend for ten years. "This isn't war! YOU JUST MURDERED AN UNARMED WOMAN!"

"And you who gladly works for an institute that designs and builds weapons of death and destruction for the highest bidder wants to lecture me about murder?" Chris snarled and forced her pistol into Nina's chin with rage flowing off of her body. "You create "cool" gundams and mobile suits to sell to any rich monster so that they can murder thousands of children while you profit from their destruction AND YOU DARE TO LECTURE ME ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG IN WAR?"

Nina shook in place, fully expecting this madwoman to pull the trigger.

Instead, Chris smiled and caressed Nina's chin, lowering her gun and bringing her lips to Nina's ear. "Don't."

Nina fell on her knees as Chris reached into the Director's jacket and pulled out her phone.

"Captain, this is Mrs. Wiseman, the Director's been hit." Chris frantically said, the other technicians too scared and shocked to contradict or stop her. "Change of plans. The invaders have set up a perimeter, but I have a plan to get us out of here-"

"What's that?" Chris asked with mock ignorance as screams and roars sounded from the bridge. "I can't hear you over the sounds of dying and screaming." Chris giggled and threw away the phone.

"You bitch!" Mona growled upon realization. "You led them right to us!"

"Yep." Chris admitted with a sly smile. At that moment, an engineer sauntered into the bay, a two-pronged energy blade impaled through his stomach. "Good work. The ship is ours?"

"The ship is yours, Wise Woman." The saurian alien that held up the engineer stated in elegant, yet forced english.

"What the hell is that?" Gilly blurted out and was knocked to the floor by another saurian alien who held her down with an armored foot. "Sorry...I've just-"

"SILENCE HUMAN!" The second saurian roared down. "I did not follow you through fire and war to tolerate your bleating!"

"Follow us?" Mona's eyes widened in realization and she looked to Chris. "You slut! You told us that no one had tracked us!"

"Yeah...they didn't track the ship." Chris held out her left hand, revealing a marking that was illuminating and becoming more visible to the technicians. "But they used the signal on this glowing tattoo to follow me here. Just in case I got captured."

"If you could do that then why didn't you just stay on the ship and let the Covenant track the signal to the Rose rather then head out and have to go through all of those hoops for no real reason?" Todd inquired. "I mean...this is all surprising, but it's all pointless if you were just after the ship."

Chris was about to rebuke the man's arguments. But she thought about it and realized that he had a point. "You would be right, except that I'm not after the ship. The ship, it's equipment and everyone aboard is just a bonus. Minus the director. But that's a drop in the bucket compared to a mobile factory."

"Then why?" Nina asked, looking up to Chris in defeat. "What were you after?"

"You." Chris answered simply. "My friends figured that a bitch with as much blood on your hands would be perfect for a job of ours."

"What job-" Nina suddenly covered her head when a large explosion took out the Rose's hanger door. She looked up and saw a Red Zeon Mobile Suit fly down and land next to the Core Booster. She had never seen the suit before, but the man who emerged from it was one who anyone could recognize.

"I haven't seen a Core Booster in 13 years." The pilot confidently said as he leapt down from his Red Doga and landed with a small thud. The blond man had a flowing red cape and the shoulders of his uniform were decorated with the insignia of an organization who had not been seen for years until now.

The saurian aliens reverently bowed their heads to the pilot and knelt before him. Chris stepped forward and bowed before the newcomer with her left hand raised. Her tattoo glowed and turned red to match the same mark upon the pilot's breast.

"Zieg Zeon!" Chris Wiseman shouted in salute.

Char Aznable raised his own hand. "Zieg Zeon."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **So begins our tale.**

 **Stay tuned for the first chapter of** _ **Mobile Suit Gundam: Unicorn's Countercharge**_


	2. Act I: Storm in the Stars

**Cathedral of Chaos**

Drums.

Drums in the deep.

Drums through the depths of darkness.

As science constantly reminds us, sound cannot travel through space.

You can only feel the result of its vibrations.

Some believe that the feel of sound is close enough and that is why they still believe that they "hear" explosions or loud noises.

Like drums.

The pilot of the Custom Waverider certainly felt the drums as he flew over the bow of a large Federation Venator-Class Star Defender Capital Vessel. Long and heavily armed, the capital ship was designed primarily for assault and atmospheric protection as well as troop transport. Likely influenced by the colonial frontier, it dwarfed the size of the usual Federation vessels and was magnificent to see up close.

Even if it's bulkhead was missing.

It could be observed that the entire bottom half of the ship had been burned out by heavy plasma fire. The Waverider weaved and ducked through scattered pieces, metal, and bodies before coming out towards the source of the drums.

War.

War covered the skies of Earth. War dared to usurp the stars. Earth Federation vessels from both near and far danced the dance of death with vessels of the Covenant and the remnants of Zeon's Principality. The pilot had no idea about how this battle started or who was winning, this battle had claimed a heavy toll before he had even arrived.

To the pilot's portside, a pair of Tector-Class Star Defenders exchanged turbolaser fire with the plasma cannons of a Covenant Battlecruiser. A stray shot flew above the Waverider and struck an already damaged Valiant-Class Frontier Heavy Carrier which exploded. The pilot watched wreckage and melted metal pelt hundreds of fighter-craft, corvettes and mobile-suits.

He heard hundreds of screams.

He focused and barrel-rolled through a crippled and fragile Gwadan-class Zeon ship and flew out in time to watch the vessel get destroyed by the Mega-Particle Gun of an Irish-class ship. The Waverider spun back around and witnessed an old Magellan-class vessel crash into the stern of a Covenant Super Cruiser and fire right through the alien ship's hull.

The Waverider flipped over a burning Clop vessel and dodged fire from a High-Mobility Geara Doga. The Custom machine chased after the Waverider, but though it was fast, the Waverider was more mobile. Mobile enough to keep from running into the Musai-Kai Zeon ship that it flew close to.

The Geara Doga was not so nimble or skilled.

"Another one bites the dust." Amuro Ray quipped, not even bothering to look back at the exploding Musai ship behind him. "Gold Girl? I lost you, where are you?"

"Sorry White Devil, I got a bit of a problem." The Waverider's wingwoman led on a swift and persistent Geara Zulu through the burning wreckage of a downed Punic carrier. Amuro watched as he saw the illuminations of plasma fire through the destroyed hull and then heard a dull explosion.

"Gold Girl?" Amuro was relieved to see a Gundam MK-3 Eagley fly out of the hull and pick off two Dogas that were hiding in stealth, waiting to ambush Amuro. "Good guess, Sayla."

"You're just mad cause I got them first." Sayla teased as her gundam returned to its Waverider mode and the two pilots manuevered through a cluster of destruction and close-quarters fighting. "By the way, whose winning?"

"Good question." Amuro had no idea or any way of gauging the battle's ebb and flow. Entire fleets were mashed together in this battle without any clear way of organization.

Hence why several Salamis vessels fired upon a Covenant Reverence Cruiser and ended up hitting several Alexandria ships and a Secutor Star Defender.

In another section, two Covenant cruisers were bombarded from all sides by Federation ships and a third was single-handedly disabled by a Marathon-class warship.

Nearby, two opposing fleets were locked in a deadlock; next to that section, Zeon was forcing the Federation into retreat; and next to that sector, the Federation was reinforcing a Golan Defense Station and destroying the Covenant/Zeon forces present.

Amuro exhaled and screamed internally. _"I'm so confused right now!"_

 _"Me too! Who did the Feds piss off now?"_ Amuro knew that annoying voice. It belonged to the large and bulky Core Fighter that flew out of hyperspace and proceeded down a Covenant Heavy Destroyer with one shot from it's High Mega Cannon. "First Strike!"

 _"Judau? It's great to hear from you!"_ Amuro gripped his head in surprise, he hated when Sayla connected without his knowledge. _"How's Louka and-"_

 _"Out of my head."_ Amuro mentally gave both intruders the boot. The two waveriders adjusted their formation to join with Judau's Enhanced ZZ Core Fighter. "Let me guess, Noah called you too?"

"Why else would I be here?" Judau asked as the trio watched an Alexandria-class vessel get rammed into pieces by a Covenant Heavy Corvette. "Can anyone reach Noah? When he called me, this wasn't what I had in mind."

"Me neither." Sayla admitted as a cleansing beam singed her right wing and projected out to wipe out ten Federation ships like a knife through cream cheese. "We should find cover. We keep flying through this killzone then we'll be cocked like ducks."

"Judau! Other people! Over here!" The three spotted a lightly damaged Queen Mansa floating above a devastated Magna Musai Zeon ship. With one hand, the Zeon unit waved them and shot down a squadron of Covenant Seraph fighters with the scattershot rifle in her other hand. "Come on! Come on!"

"You brought Puru." Sayla deadpanned. "That answers one question."

"Her hyper-space engines newer than mine so she got here quicker." Judau explained as the three flew towards the Magna Musai, weaving through heavy ship-to-ship combat with more than a few pieces of debris and bodies bouncing off of their armor as they flew. "I hope that we're winning."

"The odds of that are less than 23% right now-"

"We've been over this! Never tell me the odds!" Judau shouted as the trio finally made to the vessels hull just as Puru's Mansa blasted off the head of a Marasai and kicked a Geara Zulu into one of the still-active engines of the Magna Musai.

"Burn fucker! Burn!" Puru laughed as the Zulu reached out from the fire that consumed it. The Mansa landed inside next to the three transformed mobile suits and connected her channel to their's. "Judau!"

 _"She's way too happy right now."_

 _"Sayla, she's trying."_ Amuro mentally rebuked his wingwoman. "Hi Puru!"

"Hi." Puru's expression shifted to a cold and heartless visage, frightening even Amuro. "How's that Beltochika girl?"

"Dead." Amuro replied, grumbling himself. "What did I do to her? At least she's nice to you!"

 _"Girls stick together?"_ Amuro felt Sayla shrug her bare shoulders in resignation. _"Judau?"_

 _"You did save her life."_ Judau replied with genuine gratitude while the giddy Puru bounced in her cockpit seat after Judau gave her a thumbs up. "Got a plan, commander?"

"Not until we find out what's happening out there." Amuro declared and slammed his fist onto his communications apparatus. "Damn it! There's too much interference. I need to boost my signal to cut through all of these frequencies!"

"Just link into the ship's communication relay-" Seeing that said Relay had multiple Zakus impaled on it, Sayla scratched that idea. "Or...we can try linking to one of the in-orbit satellites for a temporary boost?"

"Won't that take a really long time and be very boring?" Judau pointed and his sensors went off to warn of incoming danger. "Nevermind about the boring wait."

"Keep them off of me. I'm going to link to a satellite and contact Noah." Amuro declared as the Queen Mansa Kai; Gundam Mk-3 Eagley and Super Enhanced Gundam ZZ all flew up towards an squadron of incoming Dogas. "Noah better not be busy, cause I'm not in a patient mood."

* * *

 **Ra Cailum**

Commodore Bright Noah was in a blood lust mood.

He kicked the dead Covenant elite alien off of his captain's chair and cocked his shotgun. On his right, his communications officers were being murdered by Covenant Jackels. On his left, Sargeant Hanna held a large Covenant Brute in a choke-hold.

A Zealot was standing in front of Noah.

"Prepare yourself for oblivion! Human!" The Elite roared as it charged with it's double-sided energy sword. Noah fired his lost round to no avail and decided to go in for two desperate attacks.

The first was swinging the butt of his shotgun at the Elites head.

It failed.

The elite was momentarily stunned that a human actually pulled off such a move. Stunned enough for Noah to slapped the armored alien with all of his might.

The elite stood stunned again and then fell backwards onto it's back.

Noah blinked and kicked the Zealot. "I killed it." The commodore was pleased with his now broken hand, but his surprise kill stunned the other Covenant marines speechless. So stunned in fact, that they couldn't fight back when his crew massacred them and ended the invasion of his ship.

"Sargeant Hanna, my hands broken. Fix it." Noah sat back and used the dead elites as footstools while he observed the chaos around him. He barely flinched as Anna Hanna proceeded to care for his splintered and bloody hand as diligently as she repaired mobile suits. "XO? Status report."

"Commander Meran is in the medical bay due to a missing lung and half of his torso." Technical Officer Chan Agi reported from her console.

"He's stable and should live, but he's out of this fight." Anna stated without looking away from Noah's hand.

Considering his losses this day, Bright was surprised that Meran was alive. "Fine, you're my new XO Agi. Give me a status report."

"Yes sir." Agi replied and ran through the ship's diagnosis. "Shields are down to 30%. Life Support is steady, but we've lost power to two port side engines. Power is holding at 70% and our weapons capabilities are-"

"Dick. I know that part." Noah grimaced when Anna corrected a dislocated finger. "How about our squadrons? Status of reserves?"

"Kayra and squad 93 are holding their positions." Agi reported with serene professional calm. "Nigel and his Tri-Stars have docked for repairs, they got hit badly by a Phantom ambush."

Again, Noah was surprised that Garrett was alive. "Any sign of our cavalry?"

"Sir? I'm picking up a faint signal coming from behind Zeon lines." Behind enemy lines was relative in this situation, but Noah wasn't going to nitpick. "It's of earth origin, but it's coming from a...satellite?"

"A Time Warner satellite to be specific." Another officer specified as the ship rumbled from the furious explosion of a nearby Halcyon Frontier warship. "How it has such great reception is beyond me."

"Just patch the signal through." Bright had no way of knowing who was contacting him, but he had no other options at the moment. "Unidentified signal, this is Commodore Bright Noah of the Earth Federation Londo Bell Taskforce-"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! I TURN MY BACK FOR ONE WEEK AND ZEON'S ON OUR DOORSTEP!" Amuro Ray's voice boomed into the bridge. Noah's head smoked with fury. "Myself, Sayla, Judau and Puru are taking cover in the wreckage of a Magna Musai vessel. We need intel about what's going on and what we can do to help."

"Lieutenant Commander Amuro Ray, this is Commodore Noah speaking." Bright very professionally, yet firmly replied. _"I'm going to skin that brat..."_ "It's a long story, but suffice to say that your assistance is very vital as you can clearly see."

"I understand sir-"

"And for the record. SOLOMON FUCKED UP! NOT ME!" Bright roared into the comm. "I was called in by Admiral Hackett to clean up for Solomon's fuck-up. You'd be proud since I was actually DOING MY JOB! But no! The enemy brought in at least ten more fleets and then the Federation responded with fifteen more fleets and then the enemy sent ten more fleets and we've been banging into each other for the past 6 days."

"Six days?"

"Six. Whole. Days." Noah was certain that the bags under his eyes had bags at this point. "I'm completely out of ammo."

Amuro was speechless. "Completely?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's never happened to me before."

Amuro didn't disagree. "Yeah...this is a first for you."

"What about that time that we rammed White Base?" Sayla joined in. "Anyway sir, we're observing that part of the enemy forces are joining towards the remains of a Golan Vulture Station."

"That would be the enemy spear-point." Bright commented, his own visuals showing where dozens of Zeon ships were clustering behind the guard of several Covenant cruisers who snipped and destroyed isolated Federation ships. "I need you to break that spear. That should buy some of us time to regroup and retake the quadrant."

* * *

 **Magna Musai Wreckage**

"Understood." Amuro answered before he lost his signal. "To make a long story short, Zeon got caught and cried for big brother. The Federation responded by bringing out its own big brother and the fight has lasted six days."

"Six days?" Sayla's shock could be felt louder than it was heard. "This isn't like Char. He'd never throw away so many ships like this unless it meant something. Why attack earth if he has no chance of taking it?"

"Maybe he wants to drop a rock on it?" Puru suggested.

Amuro exhaled in exasperation. "No. As many times as the Earth has been hit with a colony drop, Char expects us to see it coming. He'd never go for the most obvious plan unless he thought he could succeed. Not to mention that he'd have to find a big enough asteroid and guard it from the Sol Systems Defense Armada."

"What if he just bought it and had it shipped-" Judau jerked from Amuro's psycho slap, rubbing his cheek on sheer reflex. "Come on Amuro! I'm just throwing out ideas!"

"And that was a retarded idea." Amuro blunted. "There isn't a single sentient being who'd be stupid enough to sell an asteroid to Char. Especially with how often Zeon dropped colonies or like-sized objects on planets!"

"Whatever. You've been wrong before." Judau mused as the wreckage shook from attack fire. "We've been detected. Ten boogies coming in. Half of them are newtypes."

"Wouldn't want this to be too easy would we?" Sayla's Gundam flew onto the offensive and fired her beam rifle towards a formation of ten Zeon suits. Sayla's attack damaged the arm of a Sturm Doga, but it's Geara wingman pushed the suit away from a fatal hit. "Careful. These Zeks are competent."

"So are we. Attack Pattern Zulu, launch!" Based on the tactics of legendary commander Shaka Zulu, Amuro joined Sayla in attacking the Zeon mobile suits head-on. The Re-Gz and Eagley were faster than both their comrades and the enemy Dogas in addition to having powerful firepower. This allowed Amuro and Sayla to coordinate and attack an assault group that outnumbered them five to one.

The Eagley turned and twisted to avoided plasma fire and retaliated with plasma fire of her own. Only her shot did not miss, the first blast knocked off the head of a custom Kampfer and the second found the right shoulder socket of a Geara, blasting off its left arm. The stunned suit didn't have time to recover before Sayla somersaulted over the Doga and finished it off with a shot through the chest. She manuevered the gundams legs just in-time to avoid the mines fired at the Eagley and sped up to avoid the explosion. Two Flight-mode Marasais pursued and fired after Sayla while she used the Eagley's Wing Binders to maneuver, dodge and deflect her pursuit.

Amuro's Custom Re-Gz had downed a Hizack and ReGelgu, but was largely staying on the defensive. Unlike his eager compatriot, Amuro's suit hadn't had time to fill up on fuel before it made the jump to Earth from Europa. Amuro was glad that the hyperspace engine had gotten him here in one peace, but he'd lost 2/3rds of fuel to do so and his suit was overcompensating from its reactor to keep from failing.

As he ducked under a brave stealth Zaku and destroyed it with a vulcan barrage, Amuro spat when he remembered his conversation with Bright. He'd hoped that he'd at least have a chance to refuel, but was unlikely in the chaos. However, his suits fuel-efficiency was coming in handy. He hadn't found any significant drops in performance or MS systems and his prototype interface was still working as expected.

"Tired boys?" Sayla's Eagley dropped down behind Amuro and he drew his beam saber to cut a transformed Marasai in half without even looking at it. The other Marasai transformed into its MS mode to avenge his friend, but was instead skewered on the Queen Mansa's beam saber. Now the ZZ and Queen Mansa entered the fray on the flanks, acting as the horns after Sayla and Amuro had disturbed the enemy with as the teeth and loins.

"Hope the next fight lasts longer." Judau hoped, ignoring the Geara Zulu that he had easily dispatched and added to a small scrap field. "Now what Commander?"

"We find the spear and break it." Amuro declared, his Re-Gz boosting away from the Magna Musai with Sayla and Judau on his wings and Puru coming up on the rear. They were only four suits entering a madhouse of war, but each pilot was as deadly as a single fleet.

As their enemy was about to be reminded.

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty**

Adopting the Covenant scheme of naming vessels, the newly completed Reverent Gradan-class Destroyer was a formidable vessel.

In terms of size, the Covenant ships were still 50% larger and had more guns and bays. But the Chariot of Cruelty made up for it's lack of mass and quantity of arms for quality and durability. The shielding on the ship equaled the standard Covenant battlecruiser; it's turbolaser guns, Proton cannons, Particle Pulse Turrets, and Mega Particle Rail-guns were just as deadly to any enemy; and the tough steel hull was reinforced with Gundarium coating.

"Easy as she goes helmsman." Vice Admiral Hurok stood upon his wide command deck, looking down upon dozens of bridge officers and technicians manage the ships systems and weapons. Outside, Hurok could observe the battle waging around him.

A battle that he himself had started.

"Incoming enemy missiles." The Sensory Officer warned, the visuals displaying a pair of jet-propelled torpedoes flying towards them from a swift and skilled enemy Jegan.

"Company T-43, intercept." The captain didn't even bother to watch. He'd sent thousands to their deaths in the name of Zeon, what were 15 pilots? Instead, Hurok walked towards his Analysis officer seated further back on the bridge.

"Admiral. Despite our gains, the enemy still holds control over the outer atmosphere of the system." His attractive XO reported. "However...there strength is uncoordinated and stretched. The Reinforcements from the Frontier caught us off balance badly, but their lack of coordination has only caused their ships to be more easily isolated. As you predicted, the impromtu battle fleet that you've formed on the Chariot's is blunting any attempt at a major counter-offensive."

"Excellent." Hurok smiled with pride. His fleet was technically outnumbered in terms of numbers and even the mighty Covenant ships were no match for the large amounts of versatile and adaptable mobile suit squadrons present. But he knew that concentrating his numbers would allow him to crush the enemy before they could do the same.

His ship was now in the midst of a modest rear-guard following a van of Zeon assault vessels flanked by two pairs of Covenant Heavy Destroyers and Super cruisers. Other ships would soon regroup on him and allow him to pick off the Federation ships one-by-one while his building numbers of Covenant assault ships and Zeon mobile suits could tear apart stragglers and drive off others into retreat.

Leaving Earth his for the taking.

Earth would be his personal domain.

With all of the most beautiful woman in the world for his possessions.

Naked and chained to his golden bed for his pleasure.

He'd probably throw in the Emperor of Britannia for diversity and flavor.

And a Black Man.

Maybe even a Japanese Futanari-

 _"Stay focused Jake! You have to wait and take earth before you can indulge your hentai fantasies!"_ But why wait? He had the initiative. "Mr. Soris? Send a message to the Pillar of Prominence to wheel their flank towards the planet. And have Captain Zinnerman direct standby and keep the Federation from interfering-"

"Interfering with what?" Hurok's superior was not supposed to be there. But he was present, stepping onto the bridge to the respect and veneration of his bridge who worshipped him as a hero. "Do explain your latest action, Vice Admiral."

"I was not expecting you, sir." Hurok knelt and placed his hand across his chest in salute. His superior nodded for him to rise. "I was about to inform my battle group to diverge into an assault upon the Earth's surface-"

"Belay that order." His superior firmly stated. "Despite our advantage, attacking Earth is a waste. We would approach within range of the Earth's anti-ship defenses and we do not have the strength to penetrate them."

So close to glory, Hurok stood his ground. "With the power of the Covenant Energy Projectors-"

"The enemy would adapt their Solar Shields to deflect them at us." Hurok fumed, realizing that his superior was right. "How many times do I have to remind you that we've attained what we came for? Why are we still in the system?"

"The enemy still controls the system's outer perimeter despite the chaos." Hurok growled at his superior. The veteran of the One-year War nodded and strolled forth onto the bridge, personally watching a Space Leo break off its foot kicking a Doga. "But we still control the battle closer to earth! Now is our chance to cease that moment and hit the Federation with a blow so great that they will sing of it decades after our victory!"

"You mean defeat? No one will hear it." The Nightmare Knight watched towards the distance where a Sadalahn Vessel had impaled itself through the hull of a Tector Star Defender and both ships still continued to exchange fire despite this. "In any case, this attack plan comes directly from our Leader."

Hurok gave up. _"My golden chance for a golden bed harem...wasted!"_

"A plan which you have disrupted by instigating this battle." The scared Admiral turned back to his subordinate, smirking with realization. "But your actions have allowed you a chance to make amends for your incompetence and insubordination. Make an open-channel announcement of our intention to invade the planet now that the Federation is weak."

"What?" Hurok was confused and frustrated. "You just told me-"

"Invading the Earth at this point would fail." Solomon's Nightmare restated. "But the Federation fleet doesn't know that."

Hurok was about to protest, but he quickly caught on to his superior's plan and beamed. "Then we'll kill them all?"

"We will kill them all, Vice Admiral." Anavel Gato's smirk widened into a bold grin. "Every last one of them."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **In case the prologue and this chapter didn't tip you off, the divergences from UC Canon will only expand further at this point.**

 **The Chapter is about less than half as long as the prologue and that was purposeful. I originally intended for it to be a lot longer, but it felt natural to end it on the semi-cliffhanger that you just read. The heroes have a plan to fight back, but the enemy's got a plan of their own and you don't know whose going to succeed since you don't know the bad guy's plan.**

 **Besides, this chapter's so dense with action that trying to shoehorn in more would just lessen the impact and tension. The humor wouldn't be as good either.**

 **The story's listed as a parody and that's true. But it's not an overtly hilarious parody. The humor's going to be natural and sporadic, something that catches you off-guard or small touches that changes the context and mood of an otherwise straightforward scene. If I'm too long-winded without any point to the length, then the humor loses its punch.**

 **Anyway, I'm done ranting. Thanks for reading and merry christmas.**


	3. Act II: Defiant Intrusion

**Chariot of Cruelty Interrogation Cell**

She was hanging by her wrists, tied to a long metal rope that bit into her skin. Her hands were tied together by a stinging cord of electric wire springing to life from cold metal cuffs on her fingers.

She couldn't see anything. The cell was completely dark and devoid of light. She couldn't even tell if she was hanging above a pole or an air lock into the void. All she could hear was the sound of her breath. All she could feel were the touch of her bonds and the few torn, thin clothes that her captors had left her. All she could taste was her own saliva.

Her eyes stung as light suddenly flooded into the room.

A figure approached her. She wore a purple pilots suit under a black ornate uniform and wore mono-eyed mask upon her face. Her captor stomped towards her and stood just inches from her.

Her interrogator looked up at her. "Has the darkness illuminated you?"

"Are you talking to me or the girl?" Behind the interrogator, an older woman patiently sat in her own cell. Unlike the girl, the doctor had long since escaped her own bounds. "I have to say that darkness is a welcome change of atmosphere. You never know what you see in darkness until it falls on you."

"That is true." The woman was looking at her, but talking to the doctor. "I too have seen into the abyss and it looked back at me and found me worthless. A mere weapon to be discarded when it is of no further use."

"Pity."

"But you would know all about that, would you doctor?" The girl felt her bounds lower her, stinging her feet when they touched the cold floor beneath her. The girl's breathing increased, she was now on the same floor as her captor. "After all, what was done to me...you did to hundreds of children."

"And it worked." The doctor boldly pointed out. The captor held out her arm to flex her hand, putting a smirk on the doctor's face. "What's this? More mind games? Are you going to zap me with your newtype powers?"

"You will yield your knowledge-" The captor stopped suddenly and turned to the doctor. "No. I can't zap you with my newtype powers. Where did you get that ignorant and stupid assumption from?"

"Low-key fan of Star Wars and you newtypes are quite similar to jedi and so on." The doctor snarked to the masked girl's irritation. "I would've chuckled if you'd shot out bolts of lightning and told me to give in to my hatred-"

"Newtypes are nothing alike to a fairy tale figment of imagination." The captor declared and held her hand towards the doctor's throat. "Our powers are of the spirit and the mind. What you will not give willingly, I will take myself."

The doctor was unimpressed. "You tried before remember? You failed."

"Not from you, no." The captor turned back to the girl, who squirmed and struggled against her bondage. "She is your closest assistant. She knows much that you know. I will gain what I can from her."

"Help me...please! Help!" The girl cried out, her captor approaching her slowly. The doctor's smirk vanished, her eyes afire with rage. The fire grew as the interrogator brushed her cold gloved hands upon the girl's hips. They traveled up her naked stomach, chilling the poor girl and bringing tears to her eyes. Cold hands moved under her short shirt and inbetween her breasts, increasing the girls fear and breath. "Please...please..."

"Do not fear. I will not hurt you." The captor withdrew her hands and brought them to her mask. The mask dropped to the floor, revealing the prisoner to the face of her interrogator. "The fear you feel is fear that I have felt. I will not inflict the pain that I felt upon you as well."

The girl wanted to be relieved, but she felt something stab her brain.

"Forgive me." The red-haired woman spoke, the girl grimaced as the unseen knife widened its mark and spread pain through her mind. "But I must serve my superior. I am, but a weapon with a purpose. I will fulfill that that purpose. Whether by the doctor's cooperation or your tribulation."

She tried, but she couldn't help it. The pain was too great. It felt like someone had punched through her face and out the back of her head. Her fingers felt like they were on fire, as if someone were prying off her fingernails. As if her skin was being peeled. As if needles were being pushed into her neck.

She screamed. But no sound came out.

It was too painful to scream.

* * *

 **Spirit of Fire**

"Shields down to 40%!"

"Sustaining heavy fire to Starboard hull!"

"We've lost squads 32 and 43! Lost contact with flight 80!"

"The Summer Child is going down! I repeat! The Summer Child is down!"

"Receiving an SOS from the Rude Harlot! The Rude Harlot is pinned down and taking heavy fire!"

"Dispatch Grave Group to assist Rude Group. We cannot lose the Rude Harlot or we'll lose Area 6. Send recovery units to ascertain the status of flight 80 and search for squad survivors. Increase power to shields, I don't want my tea to spill. Inform Ground Command of the Summer Child's imminent crash landing." Grand Admiral Lord Terrence Hood sat in the captain's chair, calmly regarding the scene of chaos around him and outside of his ship. The bridge personnel were scrambling to keep the damaged ship from being compromised. Communications officers recorded and responded to messages from scattered Federation vessels. Sensor and Analysis officers scanned for enemies and to ascertain their movements and capabilities. Technicians gave advice to damaged ships, fighter-craft and mobile suits whose lives hung in the balance.

Looking out, Hood could see the battle raging above the Earth. Hundreds upon hundreds of Federation, Zeon and Covenant vessels were entangled with each other. Both had taken heavy losses, but it was a clear stalemate. Even if Zeon had the momentum, the Federation still controlled the Outer Perimeter of the gravitational sphere.

Someone would have to do something extremely stupid to change things.

"Patch me through to the Bloody Valentine and Blue Falcon 6." On one panel of his massive viewscreen, the Grand Admiral saw a young man in a bloody uniform issuing orders to a devastated crew. On another panel, he saw an older man sewing up the smoking wound of a screaming officer. "Gentlemen, I understand that you're in dire straits. But I need your ships to form an attack group and break through the enemy lines gathering by the wreckage of Vulture Station."

"Fuck that, sir!" The young Admiral Patrick Zala roared. "I've lost 70% of my fleet! My starboard side has holes in their holes! Half of my crew is dead! I'm retreating back to Earth!"

"Acknowledged." Many laws of conduct were broken, but Hood had bigger concerns at the moment. "Admiral Tokuhiro, what is your status?"

"Blue Fleet is engaged between a Zeon fleet and a Covenant surprise attack." Admiral Tokuhiro Iga looked down and shook his head. He took off his jacket and placed it over the body beneath him. "It's taking everything that we've got to hold the line. We need reinforcements or we won't make it. Sorry sir."

"For what? You are performing remarkably." Lord Hood assured his former subordinate. "The Pearlman is leading Battle Group Vox near your section. They'll be sent to relieve your fleet. Stay alive until then."

Iga's eyes blazed with hope. "Yes sir."

"Hood out." Lord Hood had his officer connect with another group of Admirals who'd recently joined this battle. "Lost Lance; Cairo Cool; Just Absolution; Ra Cailum and Seventh Halo, if you are receiving then respond. This is Grand Admiral Lord Terrance Hood. What is your status?"

"Admiral Hackett of the Lost Lance." Admiral Steven Hackett reported, his fleet having jumped to Earth from the military stations orbiting the Eden Prime colonial world. "Shepard Fleet has gained control of Area 11 and 12, but I've lost three squadrons sent to Area 5. What the hell is going on Sir?"

"Good question." Hood admitted. The only person who could have answered that was Admiral Solomon. But that bastard's fleet went down when the first Zeon wave arrived and no one knew if he was alive or dead. "All I can tell you is that the Zeon Triumvirate is attacking Earth and we are to repel and destroy them."

"Agreed." Hackett replied, his form rocking off of his feet by a blast that reverberated throughout his ship. "I need a bigger ship. I will note that an enemy formation is clustering near Vulture Point."

"I am aware of this." Hood assured his colleague. "I need someone to attack that cluster and break it apart. If not, they'll be able to pick off our smaller groups before we can get our feet firmly on solid ground."

"Grand Admiral, I have a suggestion." Vice Admiral Sakazuki spoke from the Just Absolution. The man's molten fist was burning and melting away the skull of a Covenant Brute which Sakazuki gripped. "A small task force can engage the enemy and hold them in position. We can then use our Atmosphere Defense Rail Guns to destroy them."

Hood shook his head. "The velocity and destructive power of those guns are too unreliable. We would cause just as much damage to our own forces as we would to Zeon."

"If the sacrifice is for the greater good-"

"It won't." Hood affirmed with authority. Normally, he'd agree with Sakazuki's plan despite the losses to the task force. But in this situation, the battle lines were too uncertain and crowded to be able to reliably draw on the rail guns. Those cannons were designed for large asteroids, therefore the blasts would retain velocity after striking it's target and destroy anything else in range.

Not worth the headache. "Does anyone have a plan that doesn't rely on shooting ourselves?"

"I might." Hood never liked Bright Noah. That brash man represented everything that Hood despised and yet, he commanded as much respect and de facto authority as an Admiral despite being a mere Commodore. "I've dispatch a modest cavalry to engage the enemy spear and break it."

Hood wasn't sure which he hated more.

Noah's smug confidence or his arrogant and unfounded faith in his own plan?

"What about your own ship-"

"Completely out of ammo." Noah shrugged, pointing to a diagram of his vessel which had indeed deplete every single last ounce of offensive capability. "Or else I'd be leading my troops."

"Acknowledged. Keep me posted on the status of your cavalry." Hood didn't personally like Noah, but he did respect his courage and he was reliable along with his Londo Bell task force. "Admiral Harper? What is your status?"

"Home Fleet is scattered all over the place-" Fleet Admiral J. Harper was interrupted when his Cairo Cool command ship was rocked by enemy fire. "Intensify forward shields! I don't anything else getting through-" Harper leaped to his side, half of his body catching fire from the impact of a crashed Geara Doga. Said Zeon mobile suit fired its vulcan cannons into the bridge, decorating the walls, floors and windows with blood. Blood that flew past the suit from the suction of the vacuum outside.

"Sir! The Cairo Cool has lost its signal!" Hood was looking at the reason. His visage did not change, he simply noted how Harper's body bounced off of the trapped Doga. Another Admiral claimed by the chaos. "Sir?"

Hood switched off that particular panel. "Admiral Kota? Status of Grey Fleet."

"We're down to 40%, sir. The Salvation's engines are deader than this fucker." Admiral Falon Kota stated, pulling a Zeon marine off of his personal green beam saber and brandishing his sidearm to shoot down a grunt. "My ship's infested with the bastards...they've got nowhere else to crawl to. As soon as I clean them out, I'll do what I can to shore your position, sir."

"Unnecessary." Hood couldn't afford to lose Kota or what was left of his fleet. Then there'd be nothing buffering the outer groups from any retreating enemy vessels. "Hold your position and minimize your casualties. There's too much Zeon controlled territory cutting you off. If you take any further losses, fall back to the perimeter and don't let anything non-friendly get in or out."

"Understood." Kota complied. "But what about the Zeon forces closer to earth? Why aren't we letting the bastards leave if they want to?"

"You worry about your orders and I'll worry about Vulture Point. Hood out." Hood then opened a channel to another officer. "Commodore O'Donnel? What is your status?"

"Harvest Fleet is hurt, but not down. Rear Admiral Buck is hit, but alive." The armored officer stated, his bridge filled with similarly armored officers and troops. "An enemy battle group tried to make a break for the perimeter. They didn't make it."

"Excellent work Spartan." Hood acknowledged. "I've received orders from the Supreme Commander. He's not letting Zeon leave until we extract the asset."

"How about a trade sir?"

Hood liked where this was going. "What's our bargaining chip?"

* * *

 **Meanwhile in Space**

"Hey, can we go through this plan again? Right quick?" Judau cautiously asked, his suit wheeling and turning to avoid wave after wave of enemy fire from multiple angles. One blast hit the ZZ's shoulder and sent him into a spin, topping only when the Queen Mansa grabbed him. "Cause I don't think you have one."

"There's too many of them!" Sayla darted about, using the low-power I-field generators on the Eagley's wing binders to deflect any enemy fire that she couldn't avoid. "I told that we should've gone to Home-5 for fire support!"

"Home-5 would never make it. They'd only slow us down!" Amuro retorted, his shield heavily dented and singed from the amount of fire that he'd had to block. "This is the only way to get Judau in range of that enemy cluster!"

Judau had an easier idea. "Or I could just shoot all of these bastards here, right now?"

"No. You can't handle back-to-back usage of your cannon like that." Amuro was right, but Judau snapped his fingers anyway. "Besides, that would alert the enemy to our location and then we'd get swarmed even worst."

"But who cares if we die here?" Puru pointed out, her shoulder binders actively working to ward off long-range fire. The Mansa punched another Doga to knock off it's head and used the headless Doga as a shield from incoming fire. "We have to do something!"

"Hold on." Sayla realized something. "Puru? Doesn't the Mansa have heavy fire for this type of crowd?"

"I lost half of them when you cut Mansa's size in half!" Puru raged in bitter lose. "I was big and tall, but you said that the Mansa was TOO BIG OF A TARGET! SO...I lost half of my guns and funnels! Hope you're happy! Princess!"

"So you still have three mega-particle guns?"

"I ORIGINALLY HAD SEVEN-" Puru suddenly stopped, an idea coming out in her mind fairly quickly. "Three will do."

Amuro nodded. "Three will do."

"Oh! Then why don't you have her wipe out the Spear?" Judau asked, realizing that he may not need to risk his own life. But he couldn't throw Puru to the grinder, so he mentally slapped himself. "Or, have me and Puru wipe out the Spear together?"

"Oh! Louka's going to be so jealous!" Sayla teased, her gundam shooting down two Gyan customs that attempted to double-team her. "How is she?"

"Loving Jupiter, may leave me for it." Judau admitted reluctantly, his hyper beam saber cutting through the hull of a Zeon Warship to slice it in half. "How can I compete with a planet?"

"Blow it up?" Puru offered. The Queen took a hit from a decent Hizack Custom that wielded two particle beam cannons. Queen Mansa barrel rolled, her spinning shoulder binders deflecting the Hizacks beams into his fellow mobile suits and ships.

"Why haven't you blown up Louka?" Amuro sarcastically asked. The Re-Gz shot down multiple missiles flying at it and narrowly avoided an attack from three Rick Doms working in unison. The White Devil was briefly reminded of a very similar team as he foresaw their patterns and shot through all three when they were lining up to execute a special pattern. The three Doms exploded brilliantly, Amuro saluted them with true remorse.

"Judau would hate me. Besides! I like Louka!" Puru answered with venom. "Seriously though, I haven't bathed today. Can I shoot them all now so that the fighting stops faster?"

"Violence only begets more violence." Amuro knew that voice. It was the voice that commanded the Venator Star Defender which flew into view, surrounded by a large contingent of Leos and GMs. "Amuro Ray. I looked for you to come and save us. I'm glad that I wasn't disappointed."

"Colonel Trieze Khushrenada." Sayla stated, doing nothing to hide her mistrust of an OZ officer. "Here to send more men to defend Earth?"

"I don't send men. I lead them." Amuro was shocked to realize that Trieze was leading his own personal Leo into the fray with his Division following behind him. "Leave this rabble to me. The cluster that you are leading is the vanguard for the leader of the Zeon forces. Destroy that cluster and you'll open their positions, allowing you to capture their flagship."

"Trieze! Stop!" Sayla shouted, grimacing with sorrow as the outmatched Oz suits were being torn apart. Not by any lack of ability by their leader or skill for the pilots. But leos were literally the worst mobile suits in the Federation Arsenal, it was a waste to see them get demolished as they were. Worst, is that Trieze knew this and led his men to their deaths anyway. "We have to help them!"

"No. They're doing their job so that we can do ours." Amuro indifferently remarked. _"Trieze will withdraw once we're away. The longer that we hesitate, the longer that he'll stay and fight."_

"Damn it all!" The Eagley sped off first, followed by the Re-Gz and then the ZZ with the Queen Mansa taking up the rear. They sped through a heavily contested Zone, watching a Super Cruiser beam down two Star Defenders before it was rammed by a Magellan and disabled. "This whole battles getting more and more ridiculous."

"You kidding me? Those leos back there were winning!" Puru remarked excitedly, but no one believed her. That was just impossible. "There's Vulture Point! Right ahead!"

"Yeah...the one crawling with Seraphs...Phantoms...Dogas...Zakus...Corvettes...Frigates...and more." Judau counted off, the enemy Spear cluster was filled with at least two dozen ships and flanked by a group of eight ships each led by two Covenant Cruisers. "We're not gonna make it close enough."

"Not alone." Amuro logged into the Federation Open Channel and was briefly bombarded by multiple cries for help, SOS's and screams of death. "This is Lieutenant Commander Amuro Ray of the Londo Bell taskforce. I am in range of the enemy cluster and require back up before my team can get close and flash the enemy."

Millions of voices all snickered and laughed. Amuro could feel their ridicule.

"Not that kind of flash." Even after clarifying, the mockery didn't stop.

"Sorry about that sir...this is Lieutenant Mu La Flaga from the Lunar Division." Amuro heard someone casually respond. "My team just arrived in the area and we're ready to assist."

"This is Ensign Flit Asuno of the AGE Division!" A young child replied. "My unit can provide backup sir-"

"Ensign? Where is your commanding officer-"

"He's dead." Amuro wasn't surprised. "Our XO and 2nd lieutenant were all killed as well. I'm the highest ranked officer in my team and so I took command-"

"Don't need a life story. Your help will be appreciated." Amuro accepted the help, grim about that children were being thrown into the fray. He was shocked when other calls started coming in. "Ask and you shall receive."

"This is Oz Wind Division. Colonel Trieze sent me to assist." A boy who was no older than ten replied. "My unit is enroute to assist."

"Red October, standing by." A russian stated with a large bulky vessel appearing above a downed Zeon vessel. "My ship has taken damage, but we can still assist where necessary."

Amuro pondered as various other units and squadrons joined in. "Alright everyone! I need you all to engage the enemy at point blank range! It's dangerous, but you'll be in less danger from their ships weapons. They won't risk hitting you without hitting their own men. You'll be our screen while we get the ZZ and Mansa into position."

"Yes sir!" The four gundams were now surrounded by a thick formation of mobile suits, fighters, mobile armors and corvettes. The Red October lumbered behind due to a damaged top engine.

"Amuro..." Sayla sounded less than thrilled with this plan. "A lot of these pilots are cadets...they're still children..."

Amuro was trying not to think about that. "We don't have a choice."

Sayla saw through him. "That doesn't make it right."

"Sir! The enemy has spotted us! They're sending their defense forces!" A young junior lieutenant from the Side 1 Eden Academy warned. The gundams could see many hundreds of enemy craft bearing down on them. "Permission to engage?"

"Engage at will. And if you're in a tight spot, retreat. That's an order!" Amuro declared, watching as dozens of Federation craft charged at the enemy with abandon. Some squads had a formation while others were charging blinding.

The result was all the same.

Amuro held his hands to his ears. The screams of dying young plaguing his mind like a hornet's sting.

"Amuro?" Judau's voice brought Amuro out of his pain. He looked all around him and saw a wide engagement as chaotic as the grander battle. But this one was closer and more personal. He had sent these people to their deaths and they knew it. "You alright?"

"No." Amuro stated more coldly than he intended. "The enemy's engaged our screen. Judau, you and Puru get into position and smash that Spear! Sayla and I will cover you before and afterwards."

"I aim to please." The gundams changed into their waverider modes and flew through the carnage. Amuro felt Sayla's sorrow when a GM was shot in half, it's pilot screaming as she was set adrift with shrapnel through her chest. A pair of zakus double-teamed a Sabre fighter and stabbed it's trapped pilot. Three Jegans ambushed and destroyed a Phantom. A drifting elite latched onto a cadet's hobby hizack and cut through the cockpit, the pilot helpless as he was gutted by the elite.

Amuro was livid. "This better be worth it."

Judau was calmer, but no less angry. "I'll make it count." The ZZ sped ahead of the team, the Mansa following close behind. Even with its lack of agility, the ZZ had no trouble avoiding the fire of the enemy fleet. He was close enough to where he was vulnerable to their bigger guns, but not so close to where he'd be in range of anti-ms fire.

He landed on the top of a Covenant heavy frigate and looked out at the fleet before him.

"Hey fellas!" Judau called through easily hackable Zeon communications. His gundam formed into its MS mode and he took scope of every single target and angle that he could use. "I'm Judau Ashta and I have a favor to ask you all, if you wouldn't mind?"

Amuro had to face-palm. "Is he serious?"

"Told you he was insane." Sayla quipped.

"What do you think Puru?" The Queen Mansa landed next to the ZZ, both mobile suits scoping the scene as the enemy began to frantically deploy more units towards them. "This a good shot?"

"I like it." Puru hauntingly laughed, her own MS gleaming with a glow upon her Mansa's head and shoulder binders. "Smile bitches..."

ZZ's cannon was already charged. "AND WATCH THE BIRDY!"

The darkness of space was illuminated by light.

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty**

On the Bridge, the Nightmare of Solomon witnessed that same light wipe out dozens of ships.

"So this is how it feels." Gato was calm, his subordinate was on his knees shaking with rage and fear. "Status report!"

"Losses are climbing! There's too much interference to get a clear read!" Finally, the light subsided and the Vulture Point was now devoid of anything save debris and heated scrap. "The attack is over...we've lost the vanguard."

"How many?"

"Only 6 ships remain...they're all badly damaged." Vice Admiral Jim Hurok was now fuming. "The Port Flank is gone...the Starboard flank has lost 40% of it's strength. Our position only lost 14 ships, but we have a hole in our formation."

"Sir! The Federation is advancing towards us!" Hurok screamed. Gato pondered the situation. "Orders sir?"

"Who fired that attack?" The Vice Admiral asked. "I want a visual...NOW!"

"Comply." Gato stated, curious about who was trying to upstage him. The viewscreen now displayed a two mobile suits. One of which was based on a famous Zeon model, but was half as large.

The other was the ZZ Gundam.

"ABANDON YOUR POSTS!" Hurok cried out, running out of the bridge in a mad panic. "FLEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES-" He bumped into a newcomer on the bridge and hit his head on the floor.

"Lieutenant Twelve?" Gato nodded to the bowing girl. "Status on the prisoner."

"Interrogation has proven successful. I have already forwarded my findings to your personal datapad-"

"Nevermind that." Make no mistake, Gato was very impressed. He expected the prisoner to fight longer. "We have a problem near Vulture Point. I'm dispatching you to deal with it. We also have six damaged vessels that need recovery and protection"

"Understood." She didn't even ask who she was dealing with. His superior personally recommended the girl for this mission and thus far, she hadn't disappointed.

"Sir..." An officer muttered in sheer shock. "How...how can we-"

"The ZZ can only pull that trick once." Gato was lying, but his crew didn't need to know that. "It's energy is depleted which will make it sluggish and vulnerable. If we capture or destroy it now, the Federation will lose morale."

"He's not alone." Twelve declared. "There are others with him. They are just as strong and...that Mansa...it's piloted by a presence."

"What presence?"

"I haven't felt it since..." Twelve paused, uncertain of herself. Gato was not used to this sight. "It is not matter. She will die all the same."

* * *

 **Vulture Point**

"Great shot Judy!" Amuro cheered, Sayla loudly joining in with Puru. "The enemy lines are wide open!"

"Cool." The ZZ's flights flared and dimmed. The gundam floated upwards from the damaged vessel it stood on. "I need about five minutes to jump-start my core...wait, life support's failing too. Make that ten minutes."

"We won't have that long." Sayla stated, the Eagley and Re-Gz positioning themselves around the ZZ. To their 7 o'clock and above them at their 11 o'clock, two large squadrons of suits were coming right for them. "Everyone wants a piece of us today."

"They'll have to get in line." The Re-Gz, Queen Mansa and Eagley all went to work on the incoming enemies. The Mansa's power regulator was newer than the ZZ, so Puru could still fight though her mobility was sluggish. Therefore, the Mansa primarily provided cover fire while Amuro and Sayla darted around the Queen, picking off any suit that tried to get close.

The Eagley struggled against four Zakus, high mobility models who kept up with Sayla via speed and mobility. She twisted to avoid a missile barrage and found a small, but fatal opening in their formation. She exploited the flaw and shot down two zakus, the last two immediately retreated though Sayla didn't pursue. "Amuro, you've got three on your six!"

"Cut to the right, I'll lead em to you." Amuro stated, shooting down a Gyan even as a Dom and two Geara Dogas chased the Re-Gz through a Gwadan's demolished hull. The Re-Gz darted into the Gwadan's torn bow, his pursuers following behind with courage, but a noteworthy lack of precision. When the Re-Gz emerged at the stern, the Eagley was waiting with an armed hyper bazooka. "Light them up."

"Planning on it." Sayla fired into the Gwadan and watched the wreckage explode, the three Zeon units caught in the blast radius and reduced to floating pieces. "Quick question."

"What's that?" Amuro and Sayla returned to their original positions just as the Mansa won a fire duel with a Phantom ridden by a Heavy Geara Doga.

"Why is Zeon attacking?" Sayla frankly asked. "Zeon had to have known that the Earth would swiftly respond to any direct assault. Why send so many fleets for what would at best be a pyrrhic victory?"

Amuro started thinking as well. "Maybe Zeon wanted to scare us." _"No, Char doesn't use fear tactics."_ "From what Bright told me, Zeon initially had a smaller force and that only increased after they called for backup."

"Maybe they were after something?" Judau offered, his Gundam finally somewhat recharged. "Come to think of it, most of the triumvirate looks like they're trying to regroup and leave."

"Then why attack at all if you're going to leave at first blood-"

 ** _"Major Sayla Mass, if you are alive and combat fit, respond."_** Amuro had only met the man once, but his voice trembled through his spine. **_"This is Supreme Allied Commander Tomino speaking. I am overriding communication protocols to contact you. If you are in the Sol System, then respond immediately."_**

Sayla's breath increased. "That's new. Amuro, how secure will the connection be?"

"In this mess, secure's a luxury." Amuro answered, the Re-Gz covering Sayla as she guided the Eagley onto the hull of a damaged Magellan vessel. "Keep it brief."

"I'll try." Sayla replied, taking a deep breath before she responded. "Supreme Commander, this is Major Mass. I am responding to your call on a private channel, sir."

"The Supreme Commander's calling Sayla?" Puru didn't like this, the fact that Sayla's channel suddenly went dark made things even worse. "What's that asshole telling Sayla that she can't say to us?"

"Classified junk from the sound of it." Judau remarked. "I can't even read anything through the newtype bond. We're being left out of the loop."

"Just be patient." Not that Amuro was much of a fan himself. "Incoming another mobile suit, this one's different."

"Actually, it's reading out similarly to-" Judau paled when the Green Mobile Suit came into view. "The Queen Mansa."

"Hey! Stop copying me!" Puru sped off towards the Queen Mobile suit before Amuro could stop her. "You're mine!"

The Quad-Wing mobile suit was approaching fast, but intelligently. Amuro then felt a warning ping in his mind, allowing the Re-Gz to maneuver and avoid fire from a three thin, but strong beams. Amuro then spotted three small green guns that moved through space with impressive speed. "Funnels!"

"Me too!" The Mansa deployed her own funnels against the newcomer. The Quad-Wing deployed a similar number, allowing the two teams of funnels to fight and exchange fire as the Mansa drew out her beam saber. "Let's dance!" Then Puru felt a warning and instead, vaulted back to avoid a shower of particle cannon fire that exploded around them.

"What the hell?" The ZZ was hit by the attack, too slow to dodge even with Judau's foresight. His gundam was pushed right into a damaged Phantom which cracked in half, dozens of Covenant infantry spilling out into space. Including a few that got onto the ZZ. "Help."

"A little busy!" Amuro warned, still hurrying to get away from or destroy the three funnels that still pursued him. "Incredible! This unit's out of our league! We have to retreat!"

"Never!" Puru shouted, firing her own particle gun at the Quad-Wing suit. Which blocked the beams with it's four shoulder wings and deflected them into an Irish-class vessel. "That's mean."

"Puru!" Amuro finally managed to shot down one of the funnels and lose the other two at least temporarily. He sped towards the Quad-Wing as it charged the Mansa. Immediately realizing what the Quad-Wing would do, Amuro transformed into his Waverider mode and charged right into the unit's front-right binder. The impact damaged the Re-Gz more than it damaged the Quad-Wing, but it did knock the suit off course.

Otherwise, she would have killed Puru.

"Hey! She's my kill!" Puru shouted, ignoring the electricity that sparked over the Re-Gz as it was force back into MS mode. "Stay out of my way!"

"How does she know the pilot's female?" Amuro asked himself, but he had to think quickly and remembered something. "Judau's in trouble! He needs your help!"

"Judau!" The Mansa flew off towards where the ZZ was still swarmed, leaving the Re-Gz alone with the Quad-Wing suit.

"Amuro! Stop wasting time!" The Eagley rejoined the fray, shooting down a stealth Zaku and flipping over another green funnel. "We have to move!"

"About time!" Amuro shouted, but found that the Quad-Wing suit was not ready to disengage just yet. "This suit's specs are beyond our capabilities. We need to fall back to Earth controlled sections-"

"No. We're going forward." Sayla declared, the two gundams firing at the Quad-Wing to keep it at bay. Though the tactic was not as successful as they'd like. "The Supreme Commander has ordered as to board the enemy flagship and recapture an asset."

"Asset? What asset?" Amuro inquired, his gundam bending to the left to avoid the beam slash that took away his gun. "Can we cut the classified bull-"

"The Commander didn't tell me what we were getting." Sayla admitted with frustration, the Quad-Wing apparently able to match her speed for speed despite it's greater bulk. Just then, the Quad-Wing kicked the Eagley's head and was now hovering above her prey with cannons ready to fire. Amuro saw what was about to happen and cursed that he couldn't stop it.

Fortunately someone could.

A white blur slashed off one of the Quad-Wings shoulder binders and rushed it backwards. The unit was moving so fast that not even Amuro could keep up with it's trajectory until it stopped. Floating before the Re-Gz was a white mobile suit with heavy armor and powerful engines mounted to it's back. The unit wielded a Dober gun in one hand and a glowing lance in the other.

"Oh cool! It's the tallgeese!" Judau cheered, his excitement killed when the Mansa hit his suit again. "Stop helping me Puru!"

"But I'm saving you from the elites!"

"Then stop saving me!"

"Commander Ray, leave her to me." Amuro recognized the young voice piloting the unit. "The Supreme Commander gave my division orders to guard your team."

"You're no match for her! Get out of here!" But Sayla's pleas were answered with more dark leos and smaller suits named Ares forming up around the Tallgeese. "Wind Division-"

"Don't worry about us Major!" A young girl responded confidently. "Our Le Petit Prince can handle himself!"

Sayla wasn't convinced. "Child..."

"If you're worried about them, then we shouldn't hesitate." Amuro stated, knowing that this was their own only chance. "The faster that we get to the Chariot, the faster that these kids can withdraw."

Sayla sniffled and exhaled. "Good luck." The Tallgeese blurred forward, clashing its beam saber against the expectant Tri-Wing with his comrades providing support against the funnels.

Half of whom were killed within 4 minutes.

"Hope those kids will do alright." Sayla muttered, still mentally slapping herself for being so weak. "Stay on the look out for a Reverent Gradan-class Destroyer."

"You mean the larger than normal Zeon ship up ahead?" Judau pointed out, the large zeon-designed vessel towering over it's escort ships fairly easily. "Yeah I can see it."

"Why don't we blow up again?" Puru asked, the Mansa carrying the ZZ by the hand due to it's condition. "I'm spotting a light corvette closing in on us-"

"Ignore it." Sayla ordered. "The Chariot of Cruelty is directly ahead! We have to find a way inside or all of those sacrifices meant nothing-" Sayla shouted, her gundam reeling from plasma fire that took out part of the Eagley's torso. "I'm hit!"

"Me too." Amuro's own shield was torn apart from heavy fire. "We didn't plan as far as ahead as we should have. Anyone notice that the shields are still up?"

"I can fix that Commander." Despite its damaged state, the ZZ fired a small burst of power from its hyper cannon. A blue translucent light appeared above an explosion upon the Chariot's hull. The explosion spread until it reached the forcefield upon a hanger bay which fizzled and deactivated. "Found a door."

"A big door." Sayla complimented. "Come on!" The four mobile suits sped towards the Chariot, avoiding the fire that they could and tanking whatever they could manage.

"That corvette is gaining speed!" Amuro warned, using his rifle to pick off the turrets in place near the open hanger.

"We'll worry about that later!" Sayla shouted back, large emergency panels were now starting to close off the hanger. "We've got one shot! No pussy footing!"

"Yes ma'am." The ZZ was first into the hanger thanks to the Mansa's throw. It hit its head upon the floor and rolled into the bay. The Eagley was next, forming into waverider mode to skid into the bay. The Mansa hit its shoulder binders upon the closing hanger door and was spun into a nearby wall inside the ship. Amuro barely made it inside the hanger before its doors closed behind him. The Re-Gz hovered a moment and dropped to the floor.

"We're in." Amuro declared, his team heavily outgunned and outnumbered by a hanger filled with zeon mobile suits, hanger security, covenant infantry, covenant land craft, docked fighters and ceiling mounted turrets. "Now what?"

* * *

 **Ra Cailum**

"Sir!" Agi shouted to her Commodore. "Amuro and his team have breached the Chariot!"

"Neat." Bright was still pissed with his Supreme Commander. "They better not be alone."

"They won't be." Fellow Commodore O'Donnel assured. "My men aren't far behind. They have a gift for the enemy."

Noah was curious now. "What kind of gift?"

O'Donnel's helmet gleamed as if it were grinning. "Returning their ship."

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty Hanger 82**

"Move." Feeling a familiar ping, Amuro had the Re-Gz dive forward and tackle a Doga. As Amuro stabbed the suit in it's chasis, he heard a boom sound behind him. The light corvette crashed into the hanger with the subtlety of an American tank. Dozens of troops were sucked out of the gap between the corvette and what remained of the hanger door.

"Who the hell-" Judau's unfinished question was soon answered. With their confusion still high, the enemy wasn't prepared when a team of heavily armored soldiers burst out of the corvette with guns blazing and grenades tossed with abandon. Behind them, a larger squad of white-armored troopers with t-shaped visors followed up with a no-quarter assault on the hanger.

The heavier troops engaged the enemy with confident abandon. Their heavy armor was apparently augmented with shields similar to the Covenant troops. But the Covenant troop shields weren't much stronger. As was witnessed when the super soldiers tore through enemy ranks and allowed enemy fire to bounce off of them like rocks.

The troopers weren't nearly as fortified, several were gunned down as they emerged from the Corvette, but the ones that survived organized and concentrated their blaster fire against enemy groups. Heavier targets like newly launched mobile suits or hover tanks were destroyed with heavy plasma launchers or anti-tank rockets. A green super soldier led half a dozen troopers towards the Hanger control station and destroyed it with a tossed grenade.

Everything in their way was personally destroyed with mocking ease.

Amuro watched the scene with pleasant shock. "You could've warned us Sayla."

"They're on our side. Besides, I wanted you focused on getting in the ship." Sayla reassured, but she knew it didn't completely work. Even while the cavalry was clearing out the hanger with the ease of a shooter gallery video game. "All I was told was that the corvette was hijacked by our people. They didn't tell me who it was, but I had a guess."

"Noble 1. Hanger is now secure." The leader of the troopers marched over to a surrendering "Grunt" and put a slug in between its eyes. When the grunt flinched, the trooper fired again.

"Extracting LB personnel now." An armored soldier in grey armor opened the dented hatch to the Re-Gz. "Commander Ray? My name's Thom. Are you alright, sir?"

 _"So these are the legendary spartan super soldiers."_ "I'll live, Thom. Thanks for the bail out." Amuro grabbed the tall soldier's arm, marveling at his strength and physique. He was practically lifted out of his own gundam and helped down to the floor where the soldiers were gathered.

"Control Stations secured, sir." A trooper reported to the apparent leaders of the task force. "But its only a matter of time before the enemy knows that we're here."

"If they don't already." Sayla stated when she emerged from her suit, she walked over and wrapped an arm around his waist. "You okay?"

"I may need a back massage." Amuro chilled when he got what he wished for. "Not in front of the troops..."

"You're tense, that's all." Sayla offered and stood at attention when one of the Spartans approached her. Amuro did likewise when he recognized who was standing over him. "Chief."

"Major Mass. Lieutenant Commander Ray." The Green Super-soldier saluted, followed by the other tall and bulked spartans and smaller and slick white armored troopers. "Master Chief Sierra-117 reporting for duty."

"Commander Carter of Noble Team reporting for duty." Another spartan in dark blue armor spoke.

"Captain Sev of Delta Squad reporting for duty." This trooper was armored differently from the others with red markings and a heavy durasteel chestplate over his standard armor. "Apologies for not contacting you sooner, but the Supreme Commander insisted on keeping the enemy from hacking our channel."

Judau limped to the group and paused to breath. "At least we all got here without any lasting harm." Behind him, the ZZ's right arm fell from it's socket, creating a thud which made Judau cringe. "It's okay! I can fix that."

"What about the leaking power regulator-"

"You're grounded Puru."

"I'm pleased to work with all of you." Amuro returned their salute and rested his arm. The other soldiers following suit.

"Likewise. We've heard a lot about the legendary White Unicorn." Carter replied. "It's an honor to fight beside you. That was some nice work against that spear formation."

"Judau and Puru were the ones who destroyed it." Amuro corrected. "And Sayla's the one leading this charge."

Sayla smiled. "He's just trying to get some, boys. But he is right."

Amuro growled. "With that technicality out of the way-"

"So what is our plan Major?" Carter inquired, cutting off Amuro. Who was a bit more than miffed.

"I was hoping that you'd tell me." Sayla replied. "We were originally going to blow the whole ship up. But the Supreme Commander told us about an asset, one we needed to recover. Can someone fill in the gaps?"

"I can." Master Chief held out his hand, a chip in his palm activated. The hologram of a beautiful blue woman appeared before the team to Amuro's surprise and Puru's envy. "Major Mass, it's been a long time."

"Good to see you Cortana." Sayla greeted the AI. "You've been taking care of her, right Chief?"

"Always."

"When I'm not taking care of him." That elicited a laugh from the spartans. Cortana snapped her fingers, bringing forth a life-size holographic projection of the entire ship. "Zeon didn't attack Earth for fun. They were after someone and they succeeded. They can't afford to leave the system with this individual and so we have to rescue them."

"According to the security feeds that I'm currently hacking...the VIP is located here." Cortana pointed to a compartment located in the rear port-side in between an armory and the technical center. "We must rescue her at all cost."

"Her? Who are we rescuing-"

"That's classified sir." Carter answered Amuro. "All you need to know is that the VIP must be rescued from Zeon custody."

"Right then." Amuro figured. "What do you need us for?"

"We've spent most of our time on the frontier." A large and apparently optimistic Spartan answered. "Zeon's new to us. We figured that we'd get an edge if you were helping us. You know Zeon better than anyone in the Federation."

"Works for me." Judau shrugged his shoulders and nearly fell down when a heavy weight was thrown at him. "What's this?"

"Your armor." The female spartan with a mechanical arm stated. "It's lighter than ours and won't protect you nearly as much. But it's shielding and material is better than those birthday suits of yours."

"I don't have anything to hide." Sayla smacked her right glut, bringing Amuro's attention to how noticeably thin her pilot's suit was compared to standard issue. "Like it Amuro? Its a new prototype suit that the Development Center wanted me to try out."

One more group on his hit list. Maybe. "It accentuates your body too much. Too little to the imagination."

"What? You don't actually see anything!" Sayla argued causing the female spartan to laugh. "You're just jealous, Kat."

"I won't be after your pretty ass is sliced by Covenant swords." Kat joked back with a snicker. "Besides, I don't need to flaunt."

"Who said that I was flaunting? I'm having fun-"

"They have swords?" Judau excitedly reveled in the possibilities. "If I kill a Covenant...can I keep their sword?"

The scary Spartan chuckled. "Why not? I keep all of mine."

"Anyway." Sayla's expression turned serious, receiving her own set of armor from the Big Spartan. "Thanks Jorge. You all know that I can hold my own and I'll vouch for my teammates. But for efficiency, I defer to your superior experience and judgement for our attack plan."

"Understood ma'am." Carter stated and looked over the hologram. "It's a long way to the VIP and this ship's crawling with more Brutes than usual. Jorge, Thom, Rosenda and Jun, you'll take Delta Squad here to the 3rd portside auxillary hall and shoot anything wearing Zeon or Covenant colors. I'll take Kat and Emile with Lieutenant Echo to this aft computer station and see if we can't get security's attention there. Chief? You take the Londo Bell pilots to the VIP through this passage in the power veins. Once you extract the VIP, have Cortana inform us and run interference through the Chariot's system. We'll regroup at this hanger and haul ass back to Federation space."

Sayla didn't disagree with the plan. "Works for me. But someone needs to stay here in case the enemy tries to take back the hanger."

"I need all of my spartans." Carter stated. "Chief is too valuable to keep here and the troopers are best when mobile. One of you will have to stay."

"What about me?" Puru asked, just now paying attention to the conversation. "What will I do?"

Judau seized an opportunity for revenge. "You'll stay here and guard the hanger! Without it we can't escape!"

"What?" Puru pouted, but one look at Judau's gundam softened her pride. "Alright. But only because you asked me, Judau!"

"Love you too." Judau picked up and hugged Puru, making the poor girl freeze and blush even after she was set down. "Candy is on me when we get home!"

"That was easy." Spartan Jun remarked, Puru jumping up and down cheering like a schoolgirl. "Is she-"

"Yes, she's always like that." Amuro replied with exasperation. "I'm surprised that she's the most dangerous person here."

"No, she's not." Jorge laughed.

Cortana blinked. "Actually, Commander Ray is correct."

The Spartans stopped and looked to Master Chief. The Green Spartan looked back at Puru and then to Cortana and then to Amuro.

"Yes." At the very least, the hanger's security was in good hands.

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty Bridge**

"They're on the ship?" Gato inquired.

"Yes sir."

Gato scratched his chin. "With a team of Spartan Super-soldiers?"

"Yes sir."

"And a Squad of Elite Clone Commandos?"

His XO nodded.

"How did they get through our shields?" Anavel looked to where a covenant corvette was trapped in one of the starboard hangers. "How did they get through the hanger doors?"

"First, the ZZ still had enough power for a small attack from its hyper beam cannon. Enough to overwhelm starboard shields temporarily." Gato nodded, motioning his XO to speak on. "The spartans apparently hijacked a Covenant light corvette and crash landed in the hanger while the shields were down."

"Damn it all." Gato wasn't even mad. "That was well played."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Who is the mysterious VIP that the Federation badly wants to rescue? Will Amuro and friends be able to measure up? What sinister, dark plans does Zeon have for the spanners in the works?**

 **Tune in next time to find out.**


	4. Act III: Furious Invasion

**Resplendent Fervor**

High Warmaster Luro 'Taralumee was disappointed.

Disappointed with his own subjects for failing to press their advantages.

Disappointed in the Zeon humans for dragging his people into this battle.

And most of all, disappointed in the fleetmaster who lied lifeless at his feet.

"Your death shall be your apology, Fleetmaster Nasum." The Sangheili High Commander turned from the corpse, attending grunts struggled to drag the executed fool from his presence. Bor 'Nasum was a bold fleetmaster, but he was as reckless as he was stupid. He had orders to help the Zeon fleet led by the Chariot of Cruelty escape the system with their prize. He could have accomplished this by staying his fleet and attacking Federation ships from a distance with his greater range.

Instead, he charged his Fleet of Infinite Justice right into the enemy's position, enabling the enemy to trap him between the Earth's sphere and for reinforcements to keep Zeon in the system. Forcing more Zeon and Covenant fleets to be sent in response and the Federation responded with more reinforcements. Thus, when Zeon and his Kaidon choose to commit more ships into the fray, Luro 'Taralumee volunteered to lead them.

Someone had to sort out this mess.

His shipmasters would disapprove, but removing Fleetmaster Bor 'Nasum from the mortal coil was necessary for the Covenant.

At least, those of the fractured Covenant whom had not strayed from its course.

The Covenant Faithful Armada which his great Kaidon led was formally known as the "Storm of Sanctified Unity." Though Luro's enemies preferred to shorten that name to the "Storm Covenant". Before the Schism...before the death of the Prophets...Luro 'Taralumee was a Supreme Commander in the Covenant Empire.

But he failed at a crucial moment and was demoted to a mere Shipmaster as punishment. When the Covenant shattered, Taralumee gathered his old fleet known as the Third Fleet of Glorious Consequence and carved out an area of influence for themselves. Years later, the Kaidon came forth and offered him the rank of High Warmaster to fight to restore the glory of the Covenant in accordance with his vision.

That decision brought Taralumee to this day.

"Steady 30 degrees portside, helmsman." His flagship Assault Carrier known as the Resplendent Fervor rocked under enemy fire. His shields were holding, but Taralumee would not wait to have that change.

"Fire upon those Human cruisers! Burn their hairless hides!" The Warmaster watched as his ship's cleansing beam tore through a Federation Tector vessel and caused it to explode into several large pieces. "High Warmaster to the Fleet of Rigorous Prayer! What is your situation?"

"The Humans are breaking through our flanks!" The Crimson-armored Fleetmaster reported. "The Federation vessels on the outer bounds are entering the battle. My ships are being assailed on three fronts."

"Then die with honor." The Warmaster regretted leaving the Fleet of Rigorous Prayer to die, but their sacrifice would not be in vain. The humans had overexerted and had sent their reserves in Earth's outer atmosphere into the battle. Likely an order from an eager admiral who wished to finish off his enemies before they could escape.

Fools.

The Warmaster did not enter this madness unprepared.

"High Warmaster, my fleet is ready." The Fleetmaster of the veiled Fleet of Hidden Might stated.

"Wait for the human reserve to move past you." Taralumee ordered. "Then fall upon them from behind and tear them from the stars." The Resplendent Fervor found itself on a collision course with a crippled Federation vessel which seemed to be sending an SOS for help.

The High Warmaster did not react when his ship rammed through the Magellan Vessel.

He was the will of the Storm.

The Storm halts for no one.

* * *

 **Vulture Point**

"An admirable effort." The Quad-winged Kshatriya unleashed a barrage of beam fire on the damaged Tallgeese. The mobile suit's left booster snapped off, followed by its left arm and then the right arm. Soon, nothing was left of the impressive and swift mobile suit except for the heavily damaged torso and chassis.

A black leo fired from the right. The rocket was easily shot down by the Kshatriya's funnels. The Lieutenant turned to this last leo and would have destroyed its pilot if not for the pilot's sheer fear. This child was clearly afraid to die, Twelve felt her feet tremble within her cockpit, tears streaming from her eyes, and the sheer willpower she was mustering to not flee.

She was in love.

"You can either attack me and die or you can help your comrade and leave me." To the lieutenant's interest, the girl abandoned her mission to tend to the damaged Tallgeese. It was also a wise decision, if that girl lived she would grow up to be good officer. "Master? This is Lieutenant Twelve. I've finished with the Wind Division and I'm heading your way-"

"Belay that lieutenant." Captain Zinnerman stated to the lieutenant's concern. "The Federation is about to converge on this position. Get to the Chariot and secure its retreat! As long as that ship is in the system, the rest of us aren't going anywhere!"

"Master..." Now she was torn between duty and love. She knew that the Captain was right, but she did not want to leave him between two Federation Battle Groups. But a weapon does not have the right to question her orders. "I understand. I will return when I'm able...master."

"Stop calling me that!" The Captain shouted as the comm cut out. Kshatriya flew through the battle, striking down and sniping enemy units and ships that stood between her and the fleet's flagship.

Between her duty and her love.

* * *

 **Hanger 82**

"I'M BORED!" Puru shouted as loudly as she could. She sat in front of her Mansa, pouting in the middle of covenant and zeon bodies. "Stupid Amuro! Making Stupid Judau trick me into staying behind! Stupid Sayla and her chubby butt! Stupid Master Chief and his stupid spartans! Stupid clone troopers and their stupid...australian accents!"

She hit the back of her head on the Mansa's foot and cried out.

"Stupid mobile suit!" She kicked the Mansa's foot and managed to break her own. She sniffled in pain, snarling and stomping her broken foot on the skull of a brute. Within seconds, the beasts head was a pile of mush and blood that Puru stamped on as if it were a roach. "There's got to be something to do-"

"Spread out!" Puru ducked into a spread of zeon troops, watching a squad of Covenant jackels follow an armored elite into the hanger. "Our sensors last tracked them here!"

"Commander! Look!" The covenant soldiers were now looking at the four mobile suits. "The...Gun...dams!"

"Only two of them are gundams, fool!" The Elite commander slapped the incorrect jackel. "The ugly one is a zeon mobile suit and the light blue one is an advanced federation mobile suit! Only suits made of the gundarium metal are worthy of the title, gundam!"

"Commander? Aren't those suits all made of gundarium?" A grunt inquired to the commander's annoyance. "So, technically they're all gundams-"

"Silence!" The Commander shouted and pulled out an energy knife in a threatening manner. "Do you want to follow your friends out the airlock?"

"Where does the airlock go?" The covenant troops were surprised to see Puru on top of the Mansa. "What's an airlock?"

"Human child! Get down from that gundam-" The grunt was kicked into the wall by his commander.

The Commander growled angrily. "It's not a gundam! It's a zeon mobile suit!"

Puru nodded. "Wanna see what it does?" Queen Mansa's eye activated, it's funnels emerged out of its tail and hovered towards the covenant soldiers.

"What is this witchcraft?" A jackel asked, his answer came in the form of a beam that pierced his squadmate in half. "FLEE!"

"No one flees until I say so! Attack!" The elite commander was the only one to obey his own order. When the 5 funnels picked off pieces of the elite, his squad was attempting to run only to be shot through the back.

Puru's arms shook, the pain of these enemies screaming through her mind. "Die...enemies...DIE!"

One last grunt reached up its arm, begging for mercy.

Puru laughed all five funnels roasted the creature alive.

When the last of its arm was burned, Puru's laugh became a sorrowful cry.

"Why did I do that?" Puru cried, tears streaming down her face. Seconds later, her face was beaming gleefully. "They say Slaughter's the best medicine!"

She laughed again.

But spotting a family photo made Puru sad again. "This isn't fun."

However, her bi-polar episode was interrupted by a very familiar presence. A presence that left an odd, but undeniable mark on Puru's conscious.

"That Green Rip-off." Puru cried out in delight. She had the Mansa hover off of the floor and fly over the impaled Light Corvette. When she came outside, she saw that the battle above the Earth was no less chaotic.

She also saw the Green Quad-Wing fly towards the Chariot.

"This time, stupid Amuro isn't around to get in my way!" Her Mansa had taken damage, but not enough to impede it. And it appeared as though the Not-Mansa was more damaged. One wing was gone and another was crippled; the left arm appeared to be missing its forearm and the torso had taken a few heavy hits including a hole through the upper right.

Puru couldn't ask for a better gift. "Piece of Pie! Puru! Puru!"

* * *

 **Aft Coolant Compartment**

Amuro ducked next to a container. He shook and held his assault rifle in his arms like it was a newborn baby.

He dropped the rifle when the ship rocked. He also forgot to take the safety off.

Resulting in the gun shooting wildly through the area.

"Pick up your rifle, Commander."

"Don't talk to a superior officer like that!" Amuro shouted to the Master Chief. "Besides! I'm a Mobile Suit Pilot! Not a soldier!"

"What's the difference, sir?" Master Chief asked, calmly taking aim with his Battle Rifle and exchanging fire with the Zeon security guards up ahead. He scored a headshot on a Zeon corporal and then threw a grenade that one of the enemy caught in his hands.

He probably thought it was a baseball.

"More incoming!" Sayla was flat on the ground, aiming down the Designated Marksman Rifle and shooting out the knee socket of a large alien known as a Brute. The Brute fell face first on its own hammer. For some reason, this caused a gravity distortion that burst out and killed several humans, grunts and jackels. Amuro likened the effect to an unseen gravity bomb even as guts and corpses were through through the hallway. "Overkill."

"Glad that you're having fun!" Amuro shouted to Sayla and then saw Judau walk past carrying something. "Judau! What are you doing? Leave the shooting to Chief and Sayla-"

"Lock and Load!" Judau unleashed hell with his Heavy Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). The large gun thundered and unleashed hundreds of bullets within the span of ten seconds. The bullets overloaded many shields and turned enemy soldiers into bloody skeletons with flesh hanging from their charred ligaments. "Killing Frenzy!"

Now Amuro really looked dumb. "Damn it all!" Amuro got up and fired. But since his stance was improper, Amuro was spent into a spin. The gun flew out of his control and ended up shooting into the ceiling above Chief.

One bullet scratched his helmet.

"Commander." Chief turned to the sweating Amuro. "Why did you shoot me, sir?"

"Accident?" Chief approached Amuro and snatched the Assault Rifle from his hands. "Sorry...that gun's gotta a strong kick-"

"You suck with rifles sir." Chief blunted, putting the rifle on his back and reaching to his hip. He clipped a pistol from his belt and handed it to Amuro. "This will suit you better."

Amuro saw an insult here, but took the pistol anyway. "Ha! Ha! I'm so bad with guns that you give me a tiny pistol-"

Chief roughly took Amuro's arm and pointed it towards the enemy rather than him. "Aim at the enemy. Never aim at anything that you don't intend to shoot."

"What the hell can this thing do?" Hearing an Elite roar, Amuro ducked against the box and used it for cover. He saw plasma fire fly over him and he stood up. He reacted in time to avoid a plasma needle that flew past his head instead of taking out an eye. He tracked its trajectory and squeezed four times.

The Elite died in just three shots.

The third found the head of a stealth elite.

"Nice shot." Sayla complimented. Judau nodded and Chief gave Amuro a pat on his back.

Amuro looked at the M6D CE Pistol and smirked. "I'm not so bad after all."

"Drinol! Fall back!" Chief commanded, laying covering fire on a large hairless grey hulk who appeared to be impervious to Chief's battle rifle. The creature roared and brought out two Heavy Plasma Guns. "Incoming!"

From behind cover, Amuro had never seen so much energy fire fly over him at once. "Crap! What is that thing?"

"Sharquoi! Lesser known and numbered alien in the Covenant!" Sayla shouted over the gunfire. "They're big, tough and have no fat on them! They're pure muscle tanks that are impervious to most gunfire!"

Amuro helplessly looked to his tiny CE pistol. "Then why are we shooting at it?"

"They're slow, they're dumb and Chief knows how to take them out." Cortana answered and Chief threw a grenade at the Drinol's feet. The explosion confused and angered the creature, leaving it staggered when Chief jumped onto it's shoulders, flipped onto its back and stabbed a heat knife into its spine.

The Drinol gave one last weak whimper before it fell to the floor. Chief rolled off of the falling monster and tossed a grenade behind him that caught a crowd of fleeing grunts.

Judau's eyes beamed in admiration. "Nice...Killamanjaro..."

"You think he's cool here? You should've seen him on Harvest." Sayla tapped the hiding Amuro and got him on his feet. "If it's any consolation, he sucks with mecha."

Amuro shrugged, denying any envy that he had for the Super Soldier. "Area's contained for now. We should keep moving."

"Hey guys! I found an Armory!" Judau shouted from an open door. The others entered to find him rummaging through a pile of various weapons of both Terran and Covenant Origin. "But there's no swords here!"

"Sangheilli waste nothing." Chief stated from experience. "We'll have to find one and ask to borrow his."

"Aren't we trying to avoid lethal contact?" Amuro rubbed his hand on his head in confusion and annoyance. Sayla giggled in clear enjoyment as Amuro took out his communicator. "Commander Ray to Lieutenant Echo. What is your status?"

* * *

 **Aft Computer Station**

"Encountering Heavy Resistance!" Echo answered while shooting down a pack of Jackels with his heavy blaster rifle. He bashed his gun into the face of a charging Grunt and took a plasma grenade from its belt and threw it at an squad of Zeon troopers. The belt stuck right into the face of one trooper and exploded, reducing a dozen men into steel and bloody bone. "Lt. Commander Catherine is trying to hack the security systems and buy us some time. But the Computer Station isn't secure just yet."

"Where is Noble Leader?"

"Tell him that Commander Carter is running interference!" Carter shouted as he blitzed onto the scene and brandished akimbo DMRs on a Brute Ultra. The Brute onto its back after a few shots and Carter ran over its body to continue his attack pattern. "How much time Kat?"

"You can't rush art Commander!" Kat called out and shot down a stealth elite without looking. She blew smoke from her magnum pistol before she returned to the thankless task of hacking into the enemy's security systems. "I'm in!"

"Sir! We just hacked into the security grid!" Echo shouted and stomped down hard to crush the head of a wounded Covenant Stalker known as a Calimus. He swerved to avoid the slashes of another Stalker's bladed hands and emptied 30 shots right into its roaring face.

"Good job!" Amuro complimented. "I need you to patch me through to Noble 2! She and Cortana have a lot to talk about!"

"Give it here Trooper." Kat received Echo's comm and then the Trooper rolled to avoid a Focus Beam and threw a grenade at the Grunt who fired at him. "Alright Commander, here's what I've got so far."

"Fire in the hole!" A Brute Chieftain crashed into a computer console and had its head blown off by Emile's shotgun. "Whose next!" Emile was answered when he was stabbed through the back by a previously hidden Elite.

Emile snapped the Elite's neck with his elbow. "It'll take more than a poke in the ribs to kill me!" Emile then pulled the sword out of his body and used it to cut down another stealth Elite. He paused and took out a medpac to apply to his wound and then activated his comm. "Hey Rosy? I'm on 42."

* * *

 **Portside Auxillary Hall 3**

"37...give it time!" Rosenda cheered with excitement and unleashed hell with Akimbo Maulers that tore through the screen of zeon troopers. "Now I'm on 43!"

"Great for you Spartan!" Sev called out as a wingman was pummeled with plasma bolts until half of his body dissolved away. "You bastards will pay for that one!"

Jorge paused and ducked behind a dead and propped up pair of Drinols to reload his massive Heavy Machine Gun. Thom was nearby providing covering fire with his Battle Rifle and scored a heart shot an an Elite Ultra. The Ultra dropped its grenade which exploded to kill its comrades. "Sev! Pull your boys back! This hall's becoming a Killzone!"

Sev fired a rocket launcher at a Brute which tore the alien in half and showered its squad with blood and bone. "Where will we go sir? This whole ship is a killzone!"

"Captain! There's a Control Deck nearby." Jun reported and sniped out a Jackel with a Focus Rifle. "It leads into a Sensor Station where we'll have more tactical opportunities."

"Understood sir! Fallback!" Sev signaled his troopers and they began to retreat. A small rearguard of heavy troopers stayed behind to buy the rest of the squad time as Jorge joined in the retreat and assisted the rearguard with his own fire support.

"This is for Reach!" Jorge shouted and thundered hundreds of energy-heated bullets down the hall and into the mob of aliens and humans threatening his comrades. "Come on! Let's see ya outsmart bullets!"

"You tell them boss!" Rosenda picked up a wounded trooper missing an arm and ran after the other clones. Jorge took up the rear and soon enough, the team was now inside of a Control Deck where the clones and spartans made short work of the staff.

"We surrender-" Fixer put a bolt between the officer's eyes and kicked the body aside to find the controls.

"That wasn't necessary soldier." Sev reprimanded the clone lieutenant though he had no love for the enemy. "We could've used that bastard for information-"

"I was trained to kill, not to ask questions."

"You were also trained to obey protocols and orders." Jorge added. "That man had surrendered...killing him is a breach of Geneva Conventions."

"Since when has anyone paid attention to that?" Rosenda asked as the team went to work on using the station to their advantage. "Certainly not the Zeon...nor the Covenant. If they won't listen to the rules, then we're just making ourselves targets if we let them slow us down."

"Those rules keep us from being our enemy." Jorge finished. "Thom, take some of the troopers and keep an eye out for any trouble."

"Yes sir!" Thom sat up and was suddenly caught in an oval bubble of energy. "Sir...help would be great..."

"Ray shields!" Jun shouted, but all of his team except for himself and two troopers were soon caught in the anti-gravity energy shields. "Shit! They know that we're here!"

* * *

 **Command Bridge**

"Admiral! We've caught intruders in Auxillary Hall 3."

"Good. Have the Shields reduce their armor's power to minimum levels.." Hurok ordered his security technicians. "Without their armor, the spartans will be easy to detain. Send a squad to capture the enemy."

"Admiral! We have enemy ships approaching from Sector 27!" An analysis officer declared to Gato. "Reinforcements from the outer perimeters!"

Gato smiled. "Good. Everything is going as planned."

Hurok disagreed. "As planned? What is the plan? Because from what I can tell, we are losing this battle and badly-"

"And whose fault is it that this battle happened?" Gato inquired, Hurok shook and fumed in place. "Helmsman! Move us away from Earth towards the 60th Sector!"

"Area 60? That's where the Federation just were."

"They're not present anymore." Gato pointed out, though Hurok still couldn't understand. Much to the Nightmare Ace's frustration. "It means that the Federation has a hole in their formations! We can use that hole to escape the system and regroup in the Sarapin system."

"But I-"

"In addition, that will be the entry point for one last reserve." Gato mused and turned to another security officer. "Have you found them?"

"Admiral, the other intruders are interfering with our security systems." The officer stated and then his rader blipped. "Found them! An enemy squad is going through the Aft Cooling Sections. They appear to be heading for the Impelment Chambers."

"They figured us out." Gato cursed. "Have our best men apprehend them! Activate ray shields! Stop them in their tracks!

A Ray Shield captured Gato.

Gato blinked and then touched the shield. He pulled back his hand when the shield's energy shocked him. "Explain. Somebody?"

"Sir! It appears as though someone has hacked and altered the targeting trajectory of our Ray Shield system." Hurok explained while Gato folded his arms and thumped his fingers.

"I'm holding you responsible for this." Gato stated to the sweating Vice Admiral. "Just wait until our Leader learns about this screw up...among many...many others."

Hurok gulped, he did not want to face the Neo Zeon Leader's disfavor. "Sir! At least the shields active can't be deactivated."

"I'll wait." Gato sat down and started meditating. "Wake me when this is sorted out."

* * *

 **Impelment Chamber YAI-77**

Amuro finally hacked into the control panel and undid the security lock. "Doors open!"

"Thanks Commander." Chief, Sayla and Judau had their guns primed when the door opened. They found many energy screened cells lining a solemn hallway. As the four walked, they found that some of the cells were occupied.

The sight horrified Amuro. "What happened to these people?"

"The Covenant is not known for merciful techniques." Cortana explained, the team noted many husks and half-decayed within the cells. "But this is strange even by their standards. Its as if, they were...drained from the inside out."

"Harvested." Chief finished for the AI. "These prisoners weren't brought here to be interrogated."

"They were exterminated..." Amuro exclaimed in shock. He looked over to Sayla and sensed her sorrow. "Sayla..."

"Let's find the asset and get out of here." Sayla declared, increasing her pace to try and leave the hall as quickly as possible. "Hopefully the prisoner isn't dead or all of this mess was for nothing."

"The Triumvirate isn't stupid. They wouldn't go through all of this trouble just to kill their VIP." Cortana confidently calculated. "VIP syndrome is when a perceived VIP uses his or her status to influence a given professional to make unorthodox decisions under the pressure or presence of the individual."

"Cortana?" Sayla paused and turned to Chief. Amuro suddenly sensed a wave of apprehension in the Super Soldier. "Chief...is something wrong with Cortana?"

"No." Chief stated. "Its a bad habit of her's-"

"A habit is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur unconsciously. It is also called a wont-" Cortana stopped herself and materialized on the floor, her form holding her head as if she was suffering a headache. She stopped and looked up to the others. "Huh? Sayla? What are you doing here? I thought you were on Mars-"

"You don't remember where we are?" Sayla kneeled down to the AI. "Cortana? We're on a mission against the Triumvirate of Zeon. Don't you remember?"

"The Triumvirate of Zeon is an alliance of Covenant; Zeon and Alien factions against the Earth Federation-" Cortana stopped herself again and exhaled heavily. "I...I remember now. We've been sent to rescue a VIP from Zeon."

Sayla smiled assuredly. "That's right."

"Is she broken?" Amuro stepped towards the AI and stopped when Master Chief stepped between him and Cortana. "I'm not going to hurt her, I'm just...what's going on? I can take a look at her data-chip and see if I can fix it-"

"No." Chief stated firmly and then turned to Cortana whose form dematerialized. "There is no problem."

Judau could see what was going on. "At least, not one that we can help with?"

Master Chief turned to Ashta. "No...you can't."

"I might be able to." The door at the end opened to reveal a very impatient, very fed up and very cranky older scientist with what appeared to be broken restraints and cuffs on her arms and legs. She was also carrying someone on her back.

The Gundam pilots were shocked when they recognized the scientist.

Chief made no gesture if he was surprised. "Doctor."

Doctor Catherine Halsey's face lightened considerably when she saw the Spartan. "Sierra-117. Of all people, I'm glad that they sent someone competent."

"As always." Chief stated with respect. "I take that you're the VIP that we were sent to rescue?"

Halsey looked around the hall and smirked. "If the Federation wanted to save anyone else, they're too late. All of these people were dead before they brought us here."

"Us?" Amuro say the young girl on Halsey's back and sensed the strain and fear in the older doctor. "Is she hurt?"

"Physically, no." Halsey stated, giving a small and gentle aside to the japanese girl. "Mentally...psychologically...if nothing else, I wish to see Lieutenant Twelve die before I pass."

"We'll look into it." Sayla said and gently took the girl off of Halsey. As Sayla placed the girl on her back to examine her, Halsey exhaled and dropped into Master Chief's arms. "What about you?"

"Now you ask?" Halsey snarked and coughed as she regained her breath. "Six days of solitary confinement...a dull shrill noise banging through your skull...no food...no rest...I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for taking your damned time finding us."

"We didn't even know that you were the prisoner!" Amuro objected, having no patience for the older woman's antics. "A lot of people died so that we can get this far. A little gratitude isn't too much to ask for."

"Gratitude for what? We're still on an enemy vessel surrounded by an enemy fleet." Halsey pointed out gruffly. "You're not entitled to gratitude for an unfinished mission, Amuro Ray. So I suggest you straighten your tights, pull up your socks and stop being such a pansy-"

"The garden pansy is a type of large-flowered hybrid plant cultivated as-" Cortana stopped herself again, earning Halsey's attention and sincere concern. "Talk about convenient coincidences...I need to talk to you doctor."

"At the moment, we need to vacate the premises before-" Halsey looked past the group towards the open door. "You didn't close the door behind you."

"Why's the problem- Oh right! We're on an enemy ship!" Judau laughed as he ducked under a plasma bullet. "Retreat! Further in!"

"That sounds like a trap-" Amuro quickly changed his mind when a spiker shot right past his face and nicked his cheek. "Lead the way!" The three pilots ran further into the hall carrying Halsey and the girl while Chief took up the rear and exchanged fire with the Ship's security. Finally, the group reached an observation deck with two adjoining doors leading out and ran down a set of transparent stairs onto the main floor.

"Amuro's right...this is a trap." Judau conceded as the group prepared to shoot at the enemy when they came through the door above them. Sadly, their ammo was low. "Plan B. Amuro! Hack the door!"

Amuro was already on that job. "Give me a few moments!"

"We don't have that long!" Sayla shouted as Chief dived down and took a second to recharge his shields. "Chief? You alright?"

"We've had worst parties." Cortana answered as the Super Soldier stood on his feet and turned towards the enemy that poured onto the platform.

"Welcome Demon." The Silver Gilded Guardsman declared as he entered the deck. "Welcome to your doom."

"Zealots? Spec Ops? Rangers? Minors?" Sayla remarked as the Elites entered and took up positions on the upper deck. She also saw some Sangheilli that she didn't recognize. "Who are those stupid looking ones?"

"Honor Guardsmen." Halsey answered. "Why are they here? Shouldn't you be guarding your Prophet's stool?"

The Silver Guard took offense to Halsey's words. "Silence human! We go where the Prophet sends us."

"Prophet? What Prophet?"

"The Prophet of Dominion!" The Guardsman declared and paced before his men as he spoke. "He shall gather the scattered and guide them upon a new journey. One which will lead the renewal of life and the destruction all who would corrupt it. For it is written that the faithful shall inherit Lordship of the Stars whilst the Wicked shall perish as leaves before the raging fire-"

Chief opened fire. It wasn't very effective.

The Guardsman laughed. "Your puny weapons are no match for the mineral of moons!"

"Gundarium alloy?" Amuro was shocked, realizing that the Guardsman and his fellows were all arrayed in Gundarium covered armor. "It's no use Chief! His armor's too strong!"

"Listen to the puny Devil, Demon!" Chief squeezed the trigger, annoying the elite who stood as bullets bounced harmlessly off of his armor. "Or do not! Unleash your weapons upon me and cower in despair as they fail to leave even a dent-" The Guardsman's head was suddenly obscured by a swift red beam. When the beam was gone, there was only a smoking stump between the elite's shoulders.

The headless honor guardsman falling forward off of the rail and onto the ground before his vanquisher.

Sayla blinked. "Where did you get that?"

"Found it in the Armory." The Spartan Laser smoked on Judau's shoulder, he pointed it at the other elites with a devious smile. "Whose next?"

Three of the elites dropped their weapons and ran.

* * *

 **Collector of Perfection**

The Prophet's Favored General witnessed the honor guard's death through the eyes of the faithful.

The Admiral had a more insectoid appearance than its lesser subjects. Its chitinous exoskeleton protected its multi-limbed short body and large head. It sat at its command seat, personally controlling its vessel while directing the movement of all of the Prophet's followers.

As the Prophet had told him.

The Prophet of Dominion was the chosen savior of the wayward and chaotic galaxy. It was this wise and powerful being whom had united warlike and destructive peoples together to forge a new Covenant. It was the Prophet of Dominion who had chosen the Favored One to aid the Heratics of the Storm.

For the humans were by far the greater threat to their Journey.

And now, the human known as "Master Chief" had led a team of "awakened" humans to thwart the Prophet's Will. The General knew that the sangheilli present with the humans would not be sufficient to stop them.

He would have to ensure the Prophet's Will personally.

* * *

 **Impelment Chamber YAI-77**

"Anyone else feeling invaded right?" A sweating and shaking Judau inquired. Amuro and Sayla were similarly shaken from the change occurring on the Honor Guard. The Sangheilli cried, and twitched in pain as it was levitated off of the ground as if by an unseen hand. It's armor took on a heated appearance and boiling cracks appeared on the creature's body.

 **"I AM ASSERTING DOMINION OVER-"** The changing Elite then had it's head blown apart from the inside.

Compliments of the Grenade Launcher in Master Chief's hands.

"Nice shot Chief." Cortana complimented, the altered Honor guard falling lifelessly to the floor and evaporating. The other elites looked upon the sight and then roared with indignation. "But whatever was happening, you pissed them off."

"Good." The Elites leaped onto the main deck and brandished their energy weapons. "That means they'll be easier targets." Chief blasted off half of a Ranger's head and was headbutted by a minor. Judau tried to use his Spartan Laser, but the elites dodged the beam and sliced his gun in half.

"Here you go!" Judau tossed what remained of the Laser an Elite Minor and stuck a Plasma Grenade on it. He dodged a Stealth Elite's swing and used the unfortunate elite as a shield against the hyper-charged explosion that fried the elite. Judau pushed down the dead elite and used its energy sword to amputate an Ultra's arm.

Then the power ran out. "They run out?" Judau threw the hilt at the still alive Ultra and kicked its crouch.

It had no effect.

Okay, that's a lie. It did confuse the Elite.

"Neat...nice to learn something new...HEY LOOK! YOU'RE BLEEDING!" The Sangheili froze in utter fear of its bleeding shoulder, ignoring his missing arm and crying out in shock. Judau was too confused to even decide to hit the alien. "Stage left."

Sayla's chasis was sliced in half by the energy spear of the Honor Guardsman. Thus far, none of Sayla's shots had managed to get through its shields or its gundarium armor. Thus, she was forced to resort to using a dead Elite's shield and sword to defend herself. The shield was soon broken by a thrust through its center and Sayla threw it at her enemy to throw them off balance. She slashed her sword through the Guardsman's side, but the armor held up against her lethal strike and protected the Sangheili.

When did the Covenant gain Gundarium alloy?

"Amuro! We need an escape plan!" Sayla called back and ducked under another swing. Sayla parried a follow-up strike and used the creature's leverage to strike its lance in half. She slashed down and managed to glance the elite's eye before being kicked into a wall.

"I'm almost there!" Amuro replied as Sayla was trucked onto a table. "Security is tightening up...that's gonna make this job a lot harder!"

"May I assist?" Halsey knelt next to Amuro and took out her own datapad. After several typed keys, the locks on the door released and the door began to open. "It helps when you know their language."

"I'll keep that in mind." Amuro commented and called back to the team. "Everyone! The door's open! Lets go!"

"About time!" Sayla dodged the Honor guardsman's punch and grabbed one of its mandibles. The elite struggled as Sayla twisted off a mandible and then stabbed its face with it multiple times while holding its helmet. The elite soon fell onto its chest as Chief snapped the neck of the last Elite Ultra. "Not that we couldn't handle ourselves."

"Speak for yourself! I was on a killing spree!" Judau remarked as he crawled out from under the body of the Spec Ops Elite that had tackled him. Then it stabbed itself on its own sword. "By the way...how are we escaping?"

"We get back to the hanger and use the gundams." Amuro answered as the group started to run through the halls. In the windows to their left, they could see many ships engaging closer and closer to the Chariot of Cruelty. "By the way...where does this lead?"

"Portside Storage and Manufacturing Facility." Halsey stated without concern for the Tector-class vessel that flew past the Chariot on fire. "There is also an transportation system that runs to all of the hangers. We can use that to get back to your gundams."

"Agreed." Sayla joined in. "What about the others?"

"They're spartans. They can handle themselves." Chief assured as he activated his communicator. "Sierra 117 to Noble Leader. Do you copy?"

"Tell them to withdraw and meet us in-" Amuro stopped when he saw Chief tighten his fist. "What's wrong?"

"Delta Squad has been compromised." In short, captured. "Noble Leader suggests that we take the Doctor and leave them."

"What?" Sayla objected. "But we can't just leave them-"

"If we stay on the ship, we'll make their sacrifice in vain." Chief pointed out. "Once the Doctor is returned to Federation hands, we can return for them."

"Assuming that they're still alive, of course?" Halsey neutrally remarked. "They're soldiers, they knew that this might happen-"

"Sorry that I give a damn about their lives." Sayla quipped in anger. "Show a little gratitude bitch."

"Oh! That oh so hurtful word for women who don't know their place!" Halsey laughed as one of the viewscreen's changed its screen to depict a masked figure who looked down upon the intruders. "Speaking of bitches, how can we help you Lieutenant Twelve?"

"We know where you are." The Lieutenant coldly warned as the team heard the faint sounds of quick movement bearing on them. "Surrender and I will spare the lives of your comrades."

"What about us?" Chief asked back, waiting for Cortana to finish hacking the lieutenant's feed. "How do we know that you won't kill us?"

"You're right." Judau gasped when the masked Zeon held up a battered and struggled Puru to the screen. "To remind you of how is in command, perhaps I'll make an example of my prisoners. First I will kill this girl. Then I will kill each of your clones one by one. Then I will kill the spartans and throw them out of the airlock. Afterwards, I will find you and execute you personally."

"How do we know that's actually Judau?" Amuro inquired suspiciously.

"Let me go or I'll tear out your womb and suffocate you with it!" Puru screamed out.

Judau exhaled bitterly. "Yep, that's my Elpeo Puru."

"Joke's on you, I don't have a womb." Puru briefly teared up from the lieutenants comeback and then kept kicking at her. "My patience for this one is stretched thin as is."

"You drive a hard bargain." Sayla snarked and thought that she saw Judau karate chop Amuro in the back of his neck. Then Judau caught Chief's arm and elbowed him in the same spot to knock him down. Figuring that it was nonsense, Sayla turned her attention back to the viewscreen. "Besides, we have no reason to trust you-"

Then she realized that Judau had actually knocked out her lover.

And the best Spartan in the whole military.

Eyes widened, she turned to the apologetic Judau. "What the shit are you doing?"

"Sorry Sayla...I don't want Puru to die...again..." Judau apologized just as the group was captured in a Ray Shield. "Wait a minute?"

Sayla couldn't think of anyway that things could get worst. "Cortana! You said that you disabled their ray shield targeting trajectory!"

"A trajectory or flight path is the path that a moving object follows through space as a function of time." Cortana's apathetic rhetoric explained everything for Sayla. The AI then responded sorrowfully from Chief's helm. "I'm sorry...I just...I argued with myself over whether clones could be considered human beings and lost. The argument distracted me and here we are."

"Everyone has bad days." Outside of the shield, Halsey took out a lit cigar and took a strong hit. "What's Plan B?"

"Right now...kill Judau." Sayla remarked to the sheepish Judau just as a squad of heavily armed Zeon security troops surrounded the team. "Unless he has a Plan C."

Judau gave Sayla the biggest and toothiest smile that he could manage.

Sayla punched right into that toothy smile.

* * *

 **Hanger 82**

"Lieutenant! We've captured the intruders!" Lieutenant Twelve heard a Security officer report. "Orders, ma'am?"

"Bring them to the command deck. Admiral Gato wants to speak with them." Twelve ordered and then turned her attention to the little girl restrained by all of her limbs. "The game is over it seems."

"Whatever! Judau will kick your ass anyway!" Puru defiantly shouted. "Hell! I'll do it for him once I get out of these cuffs!"

Twelve couldn't fault the girl for her spunk. "We shall see about that."

"Yeah! We'll see! Then I'll pull out your intestines and choke you with them-" Puru stopped herself and gave a look of pure horror. "Sorry...I...that's the other me...I'm not the red me!"

Twelve blinked in utter confusion and turned to two guards. "Take her to the Command Bridge. I will be there shortly."

"As you command." The guards shuffled the struggling and bitter girl out of the hanger as Twelve looked upon the wrecked Green Mobile Suit that was all too similar to her own.

Both were based on the Qubeley after all.

"Ma'am!" A head technician saluted and pointed the lieutenant towards the secured Federation mobile suits as well as her own damaged Kshatriya. "What should we do with the Federation units?"

"Keep them secured for transfer." Zeon could learn much from studying these machines, especially the ZZ. "I want my own suit repaired and ready for deployment within the hour."

The technician paused. "Ma'am...we don't have the capabilities for that request. Your suit is more advanced than anything that we've worked with...it will take longer than an hour-"

"I will settle for two hours." Twelve felt a ping and looked back towards the hanger exit. She felt something from that girl, but it only lasted an instance. In that instance, she felt like the girl had touched her mind.

Was it because she was the twelfth?

"Lieutenant?" The Lieutenant was brought back to the present and saw the technician standing before her puzzled. "What about the corvette?"

"Leave it be for the moment." Dislodging the vessel would be more trouble than it was worth and the ship no longer could spare crew members to man the vessel.

Compliments of the now captured intruders.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Well...sometimes you succeed and sometimes you flop.**

 **How will our heroes get out of their predicament? Does Judau actually have a Plan C or is he talking out of his ass?**

 **Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out!**

 **This was a challenge, won't lie. This chapter didn't have much mobile suit fighting which happens to be up my alley (I've had a few years of practice writing mecha fights). Instead, most of it consisted of gunfights on foot which is something that I'm not used to and it probably showed in this chapter. However, I'll be happy and call myself content with how things turned out.**

 **The Drinols and Stalkers that feature in this chapter are Canon Halo races that were scrapped from the games. So, I decided to add a little more variety to the typical Covenant mix by including them.**

 **So here's one thing that I know people will probably point out. Yes, Amuro has had to fight in gunfights before in canon and did pretty well for a rookie. But he's still way out of his class compared to dedicated infantry, troopers, spartans and what-not. So I had a little fun with it initially with showing how Amuro's out of his element. (honestly, gundam piloting is his playground at this point)**

 **Sayla was demonstrated to be better with guns in the show and I figured that hanging out with Halo characters would increase those skills.**

 **Judau got lucky and If I recall correctly, he's also been in a few gunfights of his own.**

 **Something else is that yes, Puru is alive here whereas both the original Puru and Puru Two did canonically died in Canon. That will be explained in full detail eventually, however I have dropped a few hints especially ones pertaining to Puru's current state of mentality.**

 **Later.**


	5. Art IV: Hyena's Stratagem

**Conqueror**

Led by Victor Strang's heavily armed and amored flagship, Terra Fleet's Storm Division tore through the surrounded Covenant Fleet and left no prisoners.

Victor smiled on his flagship, excited from the chills that ran though his body. Chills that vibrated each time his 50 heavy turbolaser cannons ripped through enemy shielding and reduced Covenant hulls into debris. Humanity had learned much from their initial string of defeats against the Covenant and used those lessons to improve their starship weaponry and defenses. Even now, beam fire harmlessly refracted off of the Conqueror's shields and did no more harm than an echo would.

His 1,600 meter vessel was known as an Imperator-class Star Defender and was meant to be one of a dozen prototypes. These prototypes were meant to give a new meaning to the words power and security once their tests were completed. The Imperators would then become the base for the design of a line of Imperial-class Star Destroyers which would further increase the Federation's power and ensure that no one would ever try to follow in Zeon's footsteps.

But the Gyps Conflict brought several disfavorable changes to military doctrine. One of these changes canceled the line of Imperial Star Defenders meant to become the mainline vessels of the Titans when the organization was disbanded by the new Supreme Commander.

However, Rear Admiral Victor Strang was allowed to retain command of his Star Defender. On the grounds that its experimental Charged-Particle Super Laser would be permanently disarmed and removed.

Strang was still bitter about that decision.

Especially now of all times.

If he still had his super laser, Strang could have wiped out large swaths of the enemy positions and saved thousands of Federation lives.

Instead, the Supreme Commander catered to the Entitled Pacifists.

But, the ex-Titan Storm Commando was well known for making due with what he had. "Good shooting, gunnery division. You're giving me a good show up here."

"Thank you sir." The Main Battery Officer replied, his Heavy Guns tearing off the capital tower of a Zeon ship as he spoke. "I am to please."

"Then keep it up." The Gwazine-class vessel broke apart under heavy fire and then exploded in a glorious fireball. The ship rocked from the impact of a Beam Launcher fired by a floating Doga. Fortunately, his shielding protected the ship and the mobile suit was broken into molten metal by the Conqueror's Anti-MS turrets. Not even mobile suits could put a dent in his ship's armor.

Suddenly, Strang was knocked to his feet by a stronger rumble that ran through his ship. He heard an officer scream when a mug hit him straight on the jaw. Strang got to his feet and heard lights blaring through the bridge.

"What the hell is going on?" The Vice Admiral demanded.

"Sir! We're being flanked by enemy divisions coming out of stealth fields!" As the officer had warned, Strang looked out to see his battle fleet get barraged by heavy fire from two sides. One was made of Covenant vessels lead by an Armored Super Cruiser and another was made up of Zeon vessels lead by half of a dozen Magna Musai Dreadnoughts. "Incoming multiple SOS's from the outer positions-"

"Ignore them! We're getting out of here!" Strang declared as the helms team stirred the ship away from the encroaching enemy positions. "All ships! This is Vice Admiral Strang! You're orders are to retreat! I repeat, you are to retreat back to Federation controlled space-"

He was rocked from his feet again, only this time he felt a piece of metal slice through his hip. It suddenly became obvious that parts of his ship were being blown out of the hull and tearing chunks from the Conqueror.

Did he miss something? "Someone? Explain."

"The enemy must've used cloaked mobile suits to place Implosion Mines on our keel." Strang's XO assessed with odd and logical calm. "I recommend that we evacuate the ship. Our power capacity has dropped to 40%. If we sustain more damage, our life support systems will cease functional capabilities-"

"Got it Vulcan, we're fucked." Strang summarized and activated the intercomm. "All hands, abandon ship. God's speed and good luck to you all."

The XO was perplexed by Strang's words. "Sir, I thought that you were an Atheist."

"Most of my crew aren't." Strang answered and walked over to his captain's chair. He took a seat and had his personal dispenser refill his favorite beverage. "Good to know that they've got something to look forward to. Me? I don't believe anything exists beyond death."

"Perhaps now is not the time to discuss the logical viability of an afterlife." The XO pointed out and quickly assessed his Admiral's actions even as the bridge vacated. "You plan to go down with your ship?"

"Look at my hip, Captain Quinto. I'm probably going to bleed to death before I even get to the escape pods." To his credit, the XO didn't even bother denying the truth in the Admiral's words. The Admiral even figured that he'd die within ten minutes if the ship didn't get destroyed first. "Now get out of here. Follow your orders like a good officer and live to fight another day."

Quinto stared right into his Admiral's eyes. Strang thought that he saw actual emotion in the pointed-eared hobgoblin's face. The man always second-guessed everything that he'd done since he'd been assigned to Strang five years ago, but Strang did grow to like the man. Even if he was annoying as hell.

Without another word, the Captain held up a strange hand sign and then departed to the bridge. Victor figured that the hobgoblin would take about two minutes to find access to escape. As for Victor Strang? He was going to ride this furious firestorm all the way to its end.

That end came when a Plasma Torpedo crashed into his bridge and exploded right in front of him. The wave it created blinded him and numbed his senses, the oblivion that followed felt like a sweat breeze followed by cold nothingness...

* * *

 **Rise Unto Hope**

"Taicho! Zeon reinforcements have routed Storm Division!" The vessel's analysis officer shouted.

"Stay our course and alert Grey Fleet. The Reinforcements will be going straight for them." Captain Tatsumi Tashiro ordered. Grey haired, grey bearded and possessing heavy black eyes, he was no stranger to war. He had been a young man when the Euro Empire invaded his home country of Japan. Ironic how that war in Korea had made Japan into steadfast friends with the United States when they were previously enemies. Afterwards, Tatsumi had distinguished himself in various frontier conflicts such as at Klendathu; Spheron 1; Omicron Persei 8; Decapod 10; and against the Covenant.

He'd also survived the disaster in the Octillian System.

The Lumis-class Capital Ship was not initially designed for warfare. A fact made painfully obvious by its relatively weak hull and shielding. This vessel was one of several created to test intergalactic travel and the viability of self-sufficient life support. Tashiro's specific Lumis vessel also had the additional task of finding planets capable of sustaining human life and establishing temporary colonies to confirm that sustainability. But with the onset of several wars both beyond and within the Earth Sphere, the Lumis Line was retrofitted for combat to support military vessels as well as for surveillance and scouting missions.

"Sir! Our communications are being jammed! We can't reach Grey Fleet!" Tatsumi heard his communications officer cry out.

"Get them working! If we can't warn Grey Fleet then Kota will get ripped a new asshole!" Along with the rest of the Federation forces. What was Strang thinking by moving his position? Then it dawned on him, Strang moved his Division because he was ordered to move in.

Solomon really was a fucking idiot.

"I can't sir! The jamming signal is too strong." His officer regretfully replied. "However...I am picking up a message from Commodore Arthur! Shall I relay it?"

"Go ahead." Tatsumi respected his American superior, but he didn't like the man. He especially didn't like his blatant prejudice. "Relay the message."

As soon as Tatsumi saw the bloodied face of the Commodore, he knew things weren't good. "Captain Tatsumi, this is Commodore Arthur. An enemy fleet has emerged from stealth and demolished Storm Division. They've also begun to attack our Saturn Division and we can't hold out forever."

"I am ordering you to get to Grey Fleet as fast as possibly and tell Kota to withdraw his fleet back to Federation controlled space-" The Commodore was cut-off when a Zeon Geara stomped on him.

"That's enough." Tatsumi didn't want to see the rest of the message. He had his orders, but he truly didn't want to leave his division. The Saturn Division was meant to serve as support and defensive buffering for other offensive-aligned fleets. His ship was at least capable of putting up a decent fight due to his experienced crew and the mobile suits that were donated to them by Londo Bell.

He was a dutiful captain and would follow his orders. But he would not leave his fellows to be slaughtered. "This is Captain Tatsumi to Lieutenant Harvard. You are to deploy the 7th EWAC flight immediately! I also order you to send your best pilot in that Booster Stark and get to Grey Fleet!"

"Yes sir!" The Lieutenant replied over the comm. "But sir...I advise that the EWAC flight won't be enough to break the jam on communications-"

"It'll be enough to reach through to the rest of the Division! With the commodore dead, we have no other choice!" Tatsumi shouted and watched as a nearby Salamis class vessel was obliterated by a cleansing beam. "Hurry up! We don't have much time!"

"Taicho! They'll make it, sir!" A young officer with dark red hair shouted from the helm. The young man was one of the earlier graduates from the academy and a gutsy fellow. However, he was fairly naive even by young people standards.

Which Tatsumi didn't mind. "I know that Takaya! Now turn around and keep my ship steady!"

"Yokai!" Yuzo Takaya replied and barreled to evade incoming plasma torpedoes from a Covenant cruiser surrounded by Nebula Frigates and Neptune-Class cruisers. Despite taking a heavy beating, the cruiser was still tearing through its adversaries. Tatsumi gripped his fist in frustration as he waited for the targeting systems to find a lock on the ship.

"Sir! We have a lock!" A young girl with brown hair declared. "Permission to fire?"

"FIRE ALL CANNONS!" Tatsumi shouted and braced under the force of the Rise Unto Hope's mega-particle cannons. Though the beams weren't as powerful as the standard Federation vessel, they were more precise and intended for slicing through large meteors in the asteroid belt beyond Mars. Thus, the Covenant cruiser soon found its command deck slashed into heated oblivion. "Good aim, Ensign Hidaka."

"Thank you sir!" Hidaka Noriko replied and beamed when Takaya briefly nodded to her with a smile. "Incoming enemy missiles!"

"Evasive maneuvers! Gunners! I don't want a single missile to hit my hull!" Tatsumi was not disappointed, the Rise Unto Hope's speed enabled it to more efficiently dodge the proton missiles aimed at the vessel. The gunners were able to shoot down any missile that was close enough to endanger the ship. "Lieutenant Harvard! You better hurry up! This bird isn't as young as it used to be!"

"Taicho! We should be at peak broadcast positions within 30 seconds!" Harvard declared from his Jegan Kai suit amidst a heavy dogfight. "However, we are taking heavy fire from Zeon stealth units! I request fire support!"

Tatsumi slammed his fist onto his armchair in fury. "Hidaka! Make it so!"

"Yes sir-" But before Hidaka could follow her orders, she was slammed into the console by the same burst of heat and energy that burned Tatsumi's body and threw him from his evaporating chair. Suddenly, he felt air get sucked out of his lungs as he used what strength that he could to hold on to a railing. Around him, he watched dozens of officers get pulled out of the hole in the top of his bridge.

Fortunately, someone activated the emergency fortification protocol and a steel barrier sealed off the breach. Tatsumi fell upon his chest and heavily struggled to inhale and exhale. He flipped himself onto his back and saw the seared flesh upon his left breast, he saw the bloody skeletal remains of his left arm and tasted the blood which was gushing out of his mouth.

"Taicho!" Takaya was alive. Good. He rushed over and knelt beside the captain as Tatsumi struggled to gain consciousness. "Taicho! Are you alright?"

"I have a hole in my lungs...what do you think baka!" Tatsumi slapped the boy on his head and fell back onto his back. "Status report! Commander Kazuki? Lt. Commander Tamio? Wakamoto? Commander Wakamoto-"

"They're all dead sir..." Takaya remarked as Tatsumi coughed blood on the boy's uniform. "Hidaka-chan is...she's unconscious...her seat belt saved her from getting pulled out...but everyone else...they're all...they're all..."

"Captain Tatsumi!" Tatsumi was fighting hard to stay conscious...it was a losing battle, but his division needed him. "This is Captain Ohta of the Top Ace! We've managed to establish inter-ship communications thanks to your Mobile suits! But we're under heavy fire from all sides! The commodore's dead!"

"What do we do?" Takaya muttered in sheer shock at the number of voices all calling to their damaged ship for help. "Taicho! I don't know what to do-"

"Fight...Takaya! Fight to live!" Tatsumi grabbed the boy with his skeletal and undamaged arms. "You are soldier, that makes you a man! A man fights when he must! You must do what you can for yourself and your comrades! Fight and live! That is an...order..."

"Taicho...Taicho!" Tatsumi finally gave up, the pain was too great. He fell back onto the floor of his ship and allowed the darkness of sleep to claim him...

* * *

 **Command Bridge**

"A bold effort. A shame that you failed." Lord Admiral Anavel Gato mused, watching his captured foes enter the bridge surrounded by his best troops. "Disposable clones; Super Soldiers; and Londo Bell operatives? An unorthodox choice for a rescue party."

"Why aren't we shooting them-"

"Silence Vice Admiral." Gato didn't even turn to Hurok. He walked towards Judau with a sarcastic smirk. "This is the fool who murdered half of my fleet and slaughtered my men. Would've been more impressive if you'd followed my example."

Judau yawned, revealing several missing or broken teeth. "I read your book. It sucked."

Gato's smirk disappeared and he went to the next prisoner. "Noble One. The Prophet of Dominion will offer a great reward for you and your team. Though, the Kaidon also offers a reward...alas, I can only pick one."

"Whoever you send us to, they'll die." Rosenda quipped, earning an elbow to her face from one of the elite guards. "Easy! I like my face!"

Carter chuckled and turned back to Gato. "Like the lady says, we both win regardless. You'll get your reward, we'll kill a leader."

"You are bold indeed." Gato ignored the Commander and marched towards the incapacitated green spartan. "And this is the legendary Master Chief? I'm unimpressed."

"I don't care."

"Manners Chief, he's just trying to make small talk." Gato turned towards the blond girl and raised his brows in recognition. "Be on your best behavior."

"Yes ma'am."

"You're more beautiful than your brother said you were." Gato moved a bang of hair out of his face as he approached the blond female. "Sayla Mass. It has been a long time."

Sayla's demeanor hardened in defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The last rally of Zeon Zum Deikum, I was present there as well." Gato stated, Sayla remaining silent. "You kicked the Admiral in his foot when he asked you to stay with him. He was trying to help you find your father, but you were fairly obstinate. Now you're a beautiful woman, the Athena of the Federation-"

"She's taken asshole. Stop trying already, you're embarrassing yourself." The last prisoner was a man that Gato recognized very well. The man who had robbed Zeon of victory at A Baoa Qu and killed Garma along with many other Zeon comrades on Earth. The man known as the White Unicorn to some and to others, the White Devil of the Federation.

"Amuro Ray." Gato slowly declared, his voice projected hatred and venom at the bane of many friends and allies. "The Superior told me to be weary of you and now I'm reminded as to why. Even outside of your element, your trail of blood remains unceasing. Ironic that the great first Gundam ace would now be my prisoner...I've imagined a moment like this, but honestly never expected it to come to pass."

"Good for you." Amuro replied without emotion. "Speaking of blood trails, I'm pretty sure that your trail is way worst than mine. You know...you did drop a colony on Earth. Just like the rest of your homicidal maniac friends-"

Gato punched Amuro's stomach as hard he could. "Do not speak ill of the Principality with your lies. The Federation scum that I killed were killed for their greed and crimes against the Earth and for violating the peace of the Earth's Sphere! And I certainly won't let you demean the lives of my departed comrades-"

"Why? Because they truly were homicidal space nazi maniacs?" Gato kicked Amuro in response and after the latter fell on his back, Gato stomped on his chest as hard as he could. After ten seconds, Gato stopped and Amuro spat blood on his face. "You broke my ribs...that doesn't stop you or Delaz from being insane mass murderers."

Gato wiped the blood from his face. "You're lucky the superior wants you alive."

"You're lucky that I'm shackled right now." Sayla looked like she'd eat Gato if not for her bondage. "So what gives Gato? You sent all of these people to their deaths just to capture one old woman?"

Halsey chuckled. "I have to agree with the young lady. This is excessive, even by Zeon standards."

"Nah...even Haman wouldn't be this wasteful-" Judau was struck in his face by his guard. "What did I do? All I said was that Haman-" Judau was kicked in his broken leg by a Grunt.

"Apologies, the name you muttered is one that the Superior detests." Gato explained, humored by Judau's pain. "So he's declared that any favorable mention of that traitorous bitch is to be punished with physical retribution. To remind the current movement that Karn was a traitor to everything that Zeon stands for."

"I don't know..." Boss muttered boredly. "Haman did toe the company line concerning mass slaughter of innocents-" The Clone's head was shot from his shoulders, courtesy of Gato's hand cannon.

"So I think the issues cleared up now?" Gato inquired, turning to the angry Sayla. "You weren't taking the Superior's law seriously, so I made an example of a pawn."

"You said that you wouldn't kill prisoners-"

"I said that I had orders to take some of you alive. The clone wasn't one of them." Gato clarified, kicking the headless body and looking at the fuming clone commandos. "What? He was a clone like the rest of you. Just make another one, no one will miss him."

"His name was Boss." Jorge growled, struggling against his paralyzed armor in quiet rage. "And you murdered him in cold blood."

"Technically it was a justified execution." Hurok clarified, earning death stares from all of the clones and spartans. "You broke onto my ship unannounced and started killing my crew with glee and abandon. So no. This wasn't murder.

Thom disagreed. "That doesn't make it right. It's against every law of war to kill unarmed prisoners."

"This is war, Spartan. The rules are guidelines that are abandoned and rewritten according to whomever is winning. Didn't Halsey teach you that?" Gato shot back and turned away from the prisoners. He watched Twelve enter the bridge followed by a squad of Zeon soldiers. "Lieutenant Twelve, escort the prisoners to separate cells. Strip them of their armor or anything that could be remotely lethal or improvised as an escape tool-"

"Where is the girl?" The cyber-newtype inquired, hurriedly looking from prisoner to prisoner.

Gato was confused. "What girl?"

"The girl I threatened to get Ashta to cooperate." Twelve declared pointing out a surprised and smiling Judau. The masked newtype turned to two of the guards. "There was a girl captured in the hanger. I gave her into your custody, where is she?"

The guards looked at each other in confusion. "We did have a girl, ma'am. But she was part of the engineering crew, so we let her get back to her station."

Twelve paused in shock. Judau was on the ground laughing with Jorge and Emile loudly joining in. "What made you believe that she was part of engineering?"

"She told us that she was." Under her mask, Twelve blinked in disbelief. "So we let her go and gave her my custom focus rifle-" There was no warning. Twelve didn't flinch when she shot each guard in the head.

Gato blinked in more confusion. "Why did you just execute two of my men lieutenant?"

"For inexcusable incompetence." Twelve responded and heard Halsey snicker. "What do you want, old woman?"

"Don't mind me...I'm just enjoying the irony." Halsey's snicker grew into a laugh. A laugh that scared the entire bridge. "She pulled the same trick that you did, only far more gracefully and less forcefully."

Now Amuro was confused. "What trick?"

* * *

 **54th Hall of the Chariot of Cruelty**

Why where Heavy Plasma Twin-Barrel Gatling Focus Guns so heavy?

That was the question on Puru's mind as she strained and grit to drag the heavy weapon through the halls of the ship. The grinding of the barrel made a heavy noise as Puru pulled the gun along, leaving a long dent that stretched through the long hall.

Puru hated a long list of things at that moment. "Stupid Lieutenant Twelve! Stupid Troopers! Stupid Judau getting himself captured! Stupid Zeon! Stupid gun!" As she pulled the gun along, she was surprised to see security troops regard her oddly and then leave her alone.

Probably because of the jacket that she had on.

 ** _xxx_**

"Let me go!" Puru screamed, suspended between the grip of two helmeted security guards. "Put me down!"

"No can do." The soldier on the left replied. "Lieutenant Twelve gave us our orders. You're going to time out for a long time, little girl."

"Don't you know that war's for adults?" The soldier on the right laughed. "You're even younger than that teen girl that the Prime Chairman's hitting on-"

"Hey! Char has higher standards than that annoying brat!" The left soldier shouted. "The Chairman is hitting Director Miguel's ass. That's a better choice by far! Have you seen that ass?"

"Well...I like big butts and I cannot lie." The right soldier joked. Noticing his prisoner's silence, the soldier jabbed her on the head with his gun. "Hey brat! You ever hear that song?"

"Shut. Up." To Puru's surprise, the two soldiers were speechless. Suddenly, she realized that she had subsconsciously connected to their minds in her intense anger. Her feelings were...commanding over the soldier's mind. Best yet, it felt familiar to her even though she'd never done this before.

Maybe that's what she felt from Lieutenant Twelve?

"Stop." The soldiers stopped at Puru's command, her will still dominating their's. She felt a sting in her head as she maintained this domination and she thought carefully about how to use it best. "You will unbind me and let me go on my business."

The Left Soldier shook his helm in confusion. "But...Lieutenant Twelve said-"

"You have captured the wrong girl. I am a member of the Engineering Corps." Puru replied to each trooper. "You will unbind me and let me go on my business." She felt her hold begin to slip, she couldn't maintain this state of mind any further. Keeping herself together like this was like trying to keep two pieces of ice connected over a flaming oven.

Yet, the troopers put her down.

"This is a member of the Engineering Corps." The right trooper undid the bindings on her arms and legs. "Move along to your business."

"Thanks." Puru replied and watched the two troopers march away. She suddenly spotted something that she really wanted and gave one more command before her focus was lost. "And give me your awesome gun!"

"Here little girl. Have my awesome Heavy Plasma Twin-Barrel Gatling Focus Gun." The left trooper tossed his gun to the girl, who fell under its weight and was stuck to the floor with the heavy gun straining her arms. "Tell Sandra that Corporal Micks said hi."

"Will do." Puru remarked and then had another last command before the troops walked away. "Tell me where Engineering Corps' lockers are!"

"As you know, they're down the 54th hall."

 _ **xxx**_

"CORPORAL MICKS SAYS HI!" The first person that Puru reduced to blood and muscle was Lieutenant Sandra.

Heavily underestimating the power of her gun, she also hit the Fuel Pod inside of the room where Sandra was working.

Realizing that the vibrating pod was about to explode, Puru calmed herself and walked over to the door's controls. "Closing now." Puru closed the door even as hundreds of engineers tried to escape and sealed them in with the damaged fuel rod. She had the doors locked even as many hands banged on the doors.

"I should leave." Puru dragged the gun behind her as she ran off to a nearby sanitation room and entered. The room smelled and she was pretty sure that she'd entered the men's sanitation room.

One look in one of the stalls told her that this was the men's room. For some reason, a smelly soldier's battle-armor was hanging on the door.

"This can't get any worst." Puru was reminded of Murphy's Law when the room violently shook and she suddenly saw green fire rush past the sanitation room's entryway. Suddenly seeing herself drift though space choking on her neck as she died, Puru acted on instinct and put on the smelly armor as quickly as she could. Fortunately, it smelled better on the inside and it had a jet pack.

Which was good because she was now floating.

Along with the rest of the room, which was now also floating.

Away from the ship.

"Well...get busy flying or get busy floating." Puru activated the suit's jet pack and started flying towards one of the ship sections that still had lights on.

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty Command Bridge**

"WHAT DO MEAN HALF OF THE STERN IS GONE! Vice Admiral Hurok shouted, the bridge already operating on Emergency Power due to crippling damage to the ship's power. "WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?"

"I don't know!" The surveillance officer yelled back in shock. "A fuel rod was ruptured and then...boom..."

Hurok smashed his fist into the controls. "Status report! Now!"

"Shouldn't we wait for the Lord-Admiral to return-" The communications officer asking that question was shot through the head.

"The next man who questions my authority about my ship will end up like that bastard!" Hurok roared, apparently close to loosing his mind. "NOW GIVE ME A STATUS REPORT! NOW DAMN IT NOW!"

"Life Support is holding at 70%; Weapon Power has decreased to 60% and is dropping; Engines 4 through 7 have failed and engine 8 and 3 are losing power; Shields have dropped to 30%; and Communications are holding steady." A analysis officer reported calmly despite the panic on the bridge. "Also, fuel rod 15 has sustained heavy damage-"

The ship shook again, this time sending the Vice Admiral right into Kat's cleavage. Or it would have if she wasn't worry armor.

Instead, he scrambled his skull on the spartan's chest.

"Nasty way to go." Kat replied, the admiral's death surprisingly overlooked by his crew. "You'd think that they'd shed a tear for the man."

"Looks like Gato's the one whose running the show." Amuro figured and had a quick thought. "Hey! What's the situation on the security grid?"

"Security grid is steady hence why you're still in cuffs." The XO smugly remarked and then laughed at Hurok's corpse. "I couldn't wait for that idiot to die! He always groped me and blackmailed me to let him get away with it...thanks."

"Women need to stick together." Kat answered. "You could thank me by removing my restraints."

"Nice try, but I'd rather live." The XO laughed and then caught an unsettling smirk from Halsey. "What the hell are you smiling at?"

"Check your grid again." The XO looked at Halsey again and then went back to the console of her station. "For your information, power on the grid is still at 100%!"

"And the Firewall?"

The XO blinked at Halsey's prompt. "There was a short black-out after the power was cut. But it's back up and should be just fine-"

"Bored now. Pushing buttons." The XO's eyes lit up in sheer shock and terror when Cortana's voice spoke from the computer. "Now what does this button do."

"WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT AN AI?" The XO shouted as she watched Cortana systematically power down and deactivate various systems and protocols on the Chariot of Fire. "Stop that! Stop that! Stop right now or-"

"Or what? I'm basically the ship now." To prove her point, Cortana deactivated the restraints on the Spartans and powered down all of the prisoners' bindings. "Have fun."

"Yes ma'am." The entire bridge paused and looked to the Master Chief. "Time to finish the fight."

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty Officer's Quarters**

Gato had his face buried in both of his hands.

"A little girl did this?" Gato fumed into his hands. The lights were still flickering in his quarters as he tried to personally guide the ship's personnel to keep the vessel afloat. But apparently a little girl was allowed to disrupt a fuel rod and cripple the ship's power by 30%.

Because two guards couldn't do their jobs.

"Lord-Admiral." One of Gato's personal aides saluted him. He was so exasperated by the day's events and this latest act of stupidity his return salute was sluggish. "We can't find any signs of the girl. She probably killed herself when she blew up the Stern."

"Half of the Stern." Gato corrected the aide for all of the difference that it make. "Tell Hurok to send a detachment to find any trace of her body. If only to ensure that she won't cause us anymore problems. In fact, have Lieutenant Twelve find her personally."

The aide gulped. "Sir...we've heard no word from Vice Admiral Hurok."

Gato scoffed. "Fine, I'll send the command myself." But when Gato tried to access the communication channel, he found that his password was denied. He tried two more times and was denied each time.

"I was just about to report that as well." The aide remarked, the Lord-Admiral sitting in his chair looking at the screen in complete silence. "We've detected a massive power down throughout the entire ship. Several compartments have been sealed off from each other and all main hangers jettisoned their cargo-"

The computer was punched across the room. The aide stopped when Gato activated his personal beam sword and began to cut down any furniture that he could find. The aide had heard about these beam sabers or "lightsabers" as some called them. Reverse-engineered from Covenant technology and MS beam weaponry, these weapons were intended to be the answer to Covenant energy swords and energy weapons. But the War ended before they could go to mass production and thus, only a few lucky officers and collectors had their hands on one.

Apparently Gato was one of them.

By the time that the fuming Gato was done, the only thing that hadn't been cut was a framed photo of the late Aiguille Delaz whom Gato's Delaz Fleet was named for.

"I'm okay now." Gato laughed and deactivated his saber. He turned to the aide who was worried about his chances of survival. "Get me the N'Noro."

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty Command Bridge**

"Major. Bridge is secure." Captain Sev reported to Sayla. "Orders ma'am?"

"Cortana acting as master controller and us manning the bridge? We got a brand new ship!" Sayla cheered with others joining in as well. "Stuff the prisoners into the security room. That way they're not in the way."

Sitting on a pile of corpses, Emile had other ideas. "I say we just kill them."

"I say you obey your orders, Spartan." Amuro stated, slightly apprehensive about talking down to a super-soldier. "Cortana! I need an account of the enemy's fleet strength!"

"Analyzing now, I'll need a moment." Cortana replied from Chief's shoulder despite also acting within the system. "I had to reboot the lord-admiral's access just to get into the data mainframe. The encryption on this firewall isn't like anything I've seen before."

"Commander? What are you doing?" Carter asked. "Shouldn't we escort the VIP back to Federation space?"

"Not with only two engines." Amuro replied. "Besides, without communications operable, we'd be likely to get fired on by other Federation ships. We need to figure out Zeon's plan and stop them."

"That's not our mission." Cartan asserted, towering over Amuro as he got closer to him. "I'm not going to let you risk the Doctor just so you can be a hero again."

"He's right Captain." Both officers turned to Master Chief. "We'll be able to protect Halsey better by keeping her close to us. The sooner we learn the enemy's plan and cripple the enemy offensive, the less likely she'll be to be captured again."

Sayla sat in the captain's chair, twirling in a slow circle with her head on her chin in thought. "Dr. Halsey? Any advice?"

"If I'm captured again then I'll have all of you sacked." Halsey coldly warmed before she continued applying a salve to the head of the young woman she nurtured. "That said, the chance of death is equal on either path."

"Never tell me the odds." Sayla smiled and nodded to Amuro. "We'll go with your plan. You haven't screwed us over yet."

"Yet being the key word." The other spartans were shocked to see Jun enter the room, carrying a small trooper on his back. "Forgot about me, eh? This wouldn't be the first time."

"When was the first time?" Judau asked the panting spartan.

"Reach..." Noble Team signed in exasperation, clearly that was a story which Jun would never let down. "You could have called me! Just saying!"

"Puru!" Puru pulled off her helmet and jumped onto Judau's back. "Judau!"

Judau smiled. "Hi Puru, had fun?"

"I blew up Lt. Sandra!" That was when someone else entered the bridge. "Hi! This is our ship now!"

"Shut up Puru-"

"You killed my sons, you little bitch!" The Sanghelli Ultra declared, surrounded by a squad of Elite N'Noro Zealots and Ultras. "You die first-" Instead, the Ultra died from a bullet through his skull.

"That's my line." Master Chief stated and the fight was on. TheN'Noro Warrior Crèche was a Legion of Covenant Elites who were legendary for their valor and savagery and they more than proved their savagery. An elite gripped a clone on the face and ripped off his head. Another clone was stomped repeatedly until his flesh was exposed through his broken armor.

"This armor is useless!" A clone lieutenant cried out as he was cut into four different parts by four different energy swords.

Emile snapped a Zealot's neck and watched his armor's shield deflect a surprise stab. "Mine isn't! How about your's?" Emile found his answer when his knife found the sanghelli's neck.

"Everyone was kung fu fighting!" The sanghelli was more surprised than hurt by Puru's jump kick. "That kid was fast as lightning!" He was hurt when the girl stabbed her arm through his stomach and out his back.

All elites paused in shock. Puru pulled out her hand to grip the beating heart of a sanghelli. "Kali Ma Puru!"

"How did you pull his heart out of his stomach-" The elite was instead answered by having Sev shove his gun in the elite's mouth and fire until it died. The other clones and spartans applied the same strategy to their enemies in their moment of bewilderment and shock.

"Hurry! We're winning!" Puru shouted and looked to the heart in her bloody hand. "Judau! What do I do with the heart?"

"Throw it away! It has alien germs and stuff!" Judau called out without looking away from the master control system which Cortana graciously let him open. "This won't be good for concentration."

"It could be worst. At least we're not operating the Mega Zeta." Amuro quipped, Judau looking at the lieutenant commander with an offended gaze. "The Mega Zeta was a rushed and clunky piece of tin and you know it!"

"Not to interrupt, but we've got a problem." Cortana warned amidst the battle. A holo-image of the entire battle activated before Sayla's eyes and revealed a hole in the Federation outer positions. "Reinforcements are about to hit and hit hard."

"Someone went dumb." Sayla palmed her face. "Now Zeon has a hole to escape and that area of the blockade is weakening-"

"It's not a hole for escape." Cortana corrected and brought up an image of a very large meteor. "It's a hole for entry."

Amuro blinked in apprehension. "Why are you showing us 5th Luna?"

"Because Zeon is about to bring 5th Luna out of slipspace in five minutes." Cortana answered as even the spartans and clones were stunned by the news. But not where they couldn't continue fighting the brutal and relentless elites. They were trained better than that. "According to the Lord-Admiral's files, he wants to drop the colony on Lhasa to destroy Federation HQ."

The silence was broken by Puru's uncontrolled laughter.

"Fine! You were right!" Amuro shouted at the giddy and gay Puru had to sit on a dead Zealot to keep her balance. "I was wrong! Zeon wants to drop a rock on us after all! Its not like its hard to hijack the damned rock-"

"Actually, the colony was sold to Zeon by-" Cortana jumped from shock when Judau banged his hand on the console and joined Puru in uncontrolled laughter. "Did I miss the joke?"

"The best joke of the day! And Amuro's the butt of it!" Judau managed despite his laughter and fighting in the background. "I quote, _'There isn't a single sentient being who'd be stupid enough to sell an asteroid to Char.'_ Ha! I guess my retarded idea was right on the money! Somebody king me!"

For his part, Amuro was focusing all of his mental energy on the power controls. Otherwise, his rising urge to kill Judau might endanger the ship and everyone aboard.

"We can't be right all the time." Sayla shrugged with a giggle and an outward smile. _"CASVAL! YOU CRAZY SON OF A BITCH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"_

"Despite the laughter at Amuro's expense, I'm not happy to be right." Judau remarked and got a few more laughs before his face turned serious. "Colony drops aren't fun. They also contaminate the air and the land around them."

"And with all of the damage that Earth's taken in the past 15 years, Earth is getting worn down." Amuro joined in. "If that colony hits Lhasa, then Earth will lose more than Federation HQ. The temperature of the whole continent will drop quickly...no one will be able to live in South-East Asia anymore."

"The start of a Nuclear Winter." Halsey concluded sullenly and turned to Amuro. "We now know the enemy's plans. What is your plan, soldier?"

Amuro soothed his fingers on his chin and then nodded. "Hey Chief! What's the status of the Corvette that you all stole?"

Chief ducked under a Brute's Gravity Hammer and double kicked the beast into a wall. "Fully functional sir! However, the outer hull took moderate damage to its Portside Quarter and to the Bow."

Amuro held up two fingers and scratched his chin again. "Is its Slipspace Device functional?"

Chief punched out a charging Grunt and shot it in the chest without looking. "Yes sir."

Amuro thrust up his arm in victory. "Gotcha! I'm stealing a page from your book!"

"Oh..." Cortana figured out what Amuro was going to do. "I love crazy."

"Crazy?" Sayla wasn't complete certain of Amuro's plan. "What exactly are we about to do?"

Amuro turned to Sayla with a confident grin. "Give Zeon back their ship."

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty Personal Hanger**

"Time to abandon ship Lieutenant." Gato stated, already seated in the cockpit of his personal mobile suit. The customized suit itself was currently docked within a familiar and yet unfamiliar mobile armor. The system of the suit and the armor was a heavy burden even with the interface assistance of his helm. However, the mobile armor would be sufficient to punch its way out of his de-powered hanger.

"What about the Federation personnel?" Twelve's Khastriya was already outside of the ship. "Shouldn't we kill them-"

"Even in their current state, the ship has enough firepower to destroy us." Gato bitterly remarked, firing his mobile armor's mega particle beam through the hanger's door. Outside, a Federation Charon-class frigate was busted into several pieces from the beam. "We made the Chariot too powerful..."

"It wasn't your fault, sir." Twelve assured. "What are my orders?"

"You've done enough here, assist Captain Zinnerman so that he and his flotilla can retreat." Gato punched his gears to send the Mobile Armor flying out of the Chariot's bow. Despite the substantial damage it had taken, the Chariot was still a marvel to be behold. To think that it was a mere prototype of the future Zeon war machine.

Admiral Gato would be impressed.

And now the Federation had it.

"Lord Admiral? This is Captain Decker of Bloom Division." Anavel smiled deviously. "Bloom Division is now entering the Earth's Sphere."

He'd have the last laugh after all. "Is the package with you?"

"Yes sir." Decker reported. "Coordinates are set and charges are armed. We'll make sure the Feddies can't stop it before it reaches terminal entry."

"Well done." Gato remarked. "Also, I need you to transmit a fleet wide message to all ships and Covenant allies."

Decker had a small pause. "Sir? I'm picking up your signal from below Vulture Point in Sector 46-"

"Long story short, I need all available guns to fire on the Chariot of Cruelty." Gato responded, hearing a loud gasp from Decker. "It's a long story. But to keep things brief, the Federation took it and I don't need them to use it against us."

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty Command Bridge**

"Slipspace rupture detected." Kat warned from the analysis controls. The Bridge was now halfway covered in blood and the corpses of the dead. The Bridge watched as several Zeon and Covenant vessels entered the system with a giant asteroid in tow. "So you can send asteroids through hyperspace."

"Wait is it hyperspace or slip-space?" Puru inquired from the communications station. "NEVER MIND! I DON'T CARE!"

"Wish we knew that at Harvest." Carter cursed from the gun controls. "Oh well, can we go over this plan again Commander?"

"Maintain course to 5th Luna." Amuro answered, quickly coordinating between power regulation and engineering. "We should have enough power to reach the colony before it hits Terminal Entry. Right Judau?"

"I'm giving it everything she's got, Commander!" Judau shouted over the comm. "But it's hard to keep engines stable with a leaking fuel supply and ruptured auxilery power rendering precise utility impossible!"

"Divert power from Engine 8 and activate emergency aft valve exhausts." Halsey suggested. "It won't be pretty, but that should relieve pressure on the engines and make them more efficient. Engine 8 is dead-weight anyway."

"What she said." Amuro added without thinking. "Fortunately the hyperdrive on the ship is active. Which means we can use it as a makeshift bomb to take out that colony."

"The hyperdrive alone won't be enough to knock out that colony." Captain Sev commented from the Defense Grid. "Not unless we could get inside of the damned thing."

"With the Slipspace Device, we won't have to." Thom remarked. "If Chief and Rosenda do the job right, that thing will be rigged to blow right after the Hyperdrive is "disrupted". The combined force of the two will be strong enough to wipe out the colony and the Triumvirate reinforcements."

"Good plan. Just two problems." Sayla offered with a raised hand. "First...what's our exit strategy? Second, whats stopping them from shooting at us?"

"At the moment, I'm replicating Gato's IFF for our usage." Cortana assured the Major. "That will send a signal to the rest of the ships not to fire at us-" The bridge suddenly rocked, sending corpses all over the place.

"They're shooting at us! They're shooting at us! They're-" Puru was clocked when a Zealot corpse fell on her.

"What she said, they're shooting at us!" Amuro shouted at the surprised Cortana. "Got a Plan C?"

"I could try hacking their targeting systems and-" Cortana's image faded out and then returned with her on her knees in exhaustion. "Nevermind...the ship's been isolated across all networks and there's 100 competent Security AIs fighting to keep me here."

"A hundred?" Halsey inquired and took out a notebook. "Cortana, transmit this signal to Luna Skyhook Mare Nubium."

"Yes ma'am." An image of Cortana appeared next to Halsey and silently repeated the code which Halsey wrote out. "That will help."

"Good, because I'm out of ideas." Amuro admitted. His plan had relied on the Zeon believing that the Chariot was still friendly. But under heavy fire, it was only a matter of time before even the Chariot was either crippled or disabled. Worst yet, they had no way of getting through to the Federation.

Wait, Cortana controlled all communications.

Amuro slapped himself for forgetting about that detail. "Cortana! Can you establish contact with any Federation vessels?"

"If we weren't getting jammed, I would say yes." Cortana replied. "However, I could manage enough wiggle space for a one-way area-wide message to the fleet. I can't promise that it will get results."

Sayla rocked in her seat from another hit. "Situation as it is, that'll have to due."

* * *

 **Ra Cailum**

Bright Noah's face was buried in a pillow at that moment.

Officer Agi looked to her captain with concern. "Sir? Are you alright?"

"NO!" Noah exploded and quickly composed himself. "Sorry its just...the bullshit that I've had to consistently deal with is stressing me out...is that okay with you Agi? Are you frightened by working under a stressed and pissed off commodore? A commodore whose absolutely livid that every time things are going well, some idiot fucks things up and the rest of us have to pay the price? You know? Like how this whole battle could have been avoided if Admiral Solomon wasn't such a pussy and left Terra Fleet with so little coordination that they've now sustained 80% losses through this whole fight? Or how we wouldn't be in this situation with the reinforcements if he hadn't ordered Storm Division to advance? Unless of course Storm Division was not ordered to do so and the ex-titan who leads them really is a brainless dog. The point is, I'M AT MY LIMIT RIGHT NOW! IS THAT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM, Lieutenant Chan Agi?"

Agi was professionally neutral. "No sir. What should we do?"

"Working on it." Noah figured, truly trying to think of a way to deal with the Zeon reinforcements as well as the colony which they were escorting to Earth. "We could try hijacking the Chariot of Cruelty and crashing it into the colony."

"Hold that thought." Agi said with one hand up and another on her temple. "It's...Amuro...and Puru...Sayla as well..."

"Amuro? Puru?" Having dealt with Newtypes for 14 years including his own wife and son, Bright took Agi's capabilities seriously. Especially with Earth's fate in the balance. "Go on Chan, what do you sense?"

"They're on the Chariot..." Agi explained under heavy focus. "I think...no...I know...Judau's in engineering and Amuro wants to crash the ship into the colony. But...the ship's damaged and can't stand up to heavy fire..."

"Then we'll have to draw them off." Bright concluded, inferring enough from Agi to come up with a working plan. "This is a long-shot, but it'll give them more of a chance. Patch me through to any and all available Federation warships!"

"Sir! Zeon vessels are closing in on the Chariot and opening fire!" Bright watched as several Musai vessels fired on the Chariot. To its credit, the Chariots weapons were giving more damage than it was taking with two musais exploding and a heavy covette being quickly crippled. But that wasn't going to be enough. "The Chariot's shields are weakening, sir! The hull is tough, but its vulnerable in the stern."

"Working on it." Bright stated and picked up several friendly signals. "This is Commodore Bright Noah of Londo Bell to any and all remaining Federation ships in this sector! You are ordered to converge on Area 4! Zeon has entered the system with a colony and they're gonna drop it on Earth. I hereby invoke the Dublin Protocol and command all available ships to protect the Zeon Vessel known as the Chariot of Fire."

"Chariot of Cruelty, sir."

"Thank you Agi." Bright replied. "Long story short, a task force led by Lt. Commander Amuro Ray and Major Sayla Mass have taken the ship and they're going to use it to wipe out the colony! If there's anything that we can do to assist them, then we are gonna do it! So whose with me?"

"Captain Gregory Eagle of the Celtic Bold is en route."

"Commodore Redrik Ellen of the Apple Gate Guard is on route."

"Commander Horace Slugborn of the Riddled Slug is engaging."

"Lieutenant Marvin Sykes of the Bright Boat is en route."

"This is Admiral Zala of the Bloody Valentine. Zaft Fleet is engaging."

"Five Officers...3 ships...one flotilla and a diminished fleet." Bright would take what he could get. But he knew that these numbers weren't even close to what he'd need to help Amuro. "We'll make it work." Newly recharged and refueled from a volunteer energy ship from Jupiter, the Ra Cailum flew above a Covenant Battle Cruiser engaged with a Tector-Class cruiser.

"Tri-Stars; Squads 93 and 88...go work for a living." The readied and armed mobile suit squadrons poured out from the Ra Cailum and proceeded to reenact a portion of the now famous 2nd battle of Arcadia.

AKA small Mobile Suits are super effective against big Covenant ships.

Ironically, the same lesson which the Federation had learned from Zeon.

"Thanks assholes." Bright quipped to no one as his ace squads quickly disabled the battle cruiser below him. Around him, other Federation ships were engaged with Zeon and Covenant ships that would otherwise be tearing the Chariot of Cruelty apart.

And not doing jack to distract the reinforcements converging on the Chariot.

"Sir!" Chan shouted, breaking Bright's thoughts. "I'm picking up a jump heading towards the Chariot!"

Bright was about ready to throw his chair now. "Another Zeon ship?"

* * *

 **Chariot of Cruelty Bridge**

A Charon-Class Frigate thundered out of hyperspace with guns blazing on the Triumvirate vessels. Two Shiva Missiles and Hyperion Missiles struck the shielded hull of a Battlecruiser and exploded, leaving a third of the covenant ship missing before several missiles flew into its exposed interior. A Gwazine fired a beam which the Charon deflected off of its barrier and then responded in kind with its own beam firing to cut the Gwazine cruiser in half.

"Look at her go." Sayla commented in relief and praise. The Charon-class was not meant for heavy fire, but whoever was commanding this vessel had adjusted this by adding heavier guns and beam weaponry to the ship. That and taking full advantage of the element of surprise.

"Comm's getting more cleared up now." Cortana stated as more frigates emerged from slipspace and began to screen the ship's starboard flank. "Getting a message from the leading frigate."

"Put it through." Sayla commanded. "This is Major Sayla Mass of Londo Bell responding. Who is this?"

"Commander Miranda Keyes of the Forward Unto Dawn." The viewscreen wasn't clear due to static and a weak signal, but the attractive young woman on the other side was smiling in relief. "Sorry that I'm late. I had friends who wanted a piece of Zeon too."

"The more the merrier." Amuro wiped sweat from his face. "Keep the road clear for us and then get clear, Commander. We'll need pick-up after we drop off the enemy's ship."

"Dr. Halsey told me the important details." Keyes assured. "Make sure that you and the spartans come out of there alive. That's an order."

"Yes ma'am." Amuro replied as the communications were cut. "Bright covering our rear and portside...Keyes covering our starboard...and now we have an exit plan."

"You didn't have one before?" Puru asked in exasperation.

"I did!" Amuro countered to the child. "We'd get in our mobile suits and float out. By the way, thanks for not jettisoning our gundams, Cortana."

"I figured that we'd need them." Cortana answered and then blinked when she remembered something. "Question...how long did it think it would take us to reach 5th Luna?"

"Ten Minutes." Amuro answered and saw the look on the AI's face. "We have five, don't we?"

"The good news is that the Autopilot works." Cortana offered before disappearing. Immediately, the entire team all scrambled to get the hell out of the bridge.

* * *

 **Chariot of Fire 82**

"Five minutes? What the shit Cortana!" Rosenda shouted as all remaining members of the strike force rushed into the hanger to get out of dodge before all hell broke loose.

"BAIL! BAIL!" Lieutenant Scorch ushered out each and every living and wounded clone from the ship. Only taking time to ensure that each trooper's armor was properly sealed before sending them into the vacuum of space. "Use your jetpacks to get to the Forward Unto Dawn! If you do not have a jetpack then get busy swimming! Or get busy dying!"

Judau ran into the hanger and took a moment next to Master Chief to recover his breath. "So...Cortana's dropped the ball this time. Any ideas as to why?"

Master Chief didn't reply.

"Virus? Trojan? Ghost in the Shell syndrome? Stand alone Complex?"

Master Chief said nothing.

"Is she broken? That's no problem! If Amuro can't fix it then you can just get another hot and beautiful AI!"

The glare of Master Chief was almost as frightening as Haman's was.

Almost was scary enough.

"Never mind. Not important." He looked to see Puru and the others running into the hanger. "You made it! Yay! Lets get the hell out of here!" Judau grabbed Puru and practically tossed her into the cockpit of her damaged, but functional suit.

"Judau! I want a hug-" Judau cut her off by shutting the hatch.

"No time! Hug later! Live now!" Judau quickly got to his ZZ despite his broken leg and had the Gundam grab the Mansa by its wing binder to drag it out of the hanger.

"Carter, my suit should have room for some of your men if you need it." When he realized that Master Chief was the only spartan left in the hanger, Amuro rolled his eyes as he fastened the belt of his seat. "Fine. Last time I offer them a free ride if they're so cool."

"They're used to hell drops, they'll be fine." Sayla replied from her own suit with Halsey and the unconscious girl squeezed uncomfortably into the cargo compartment. "Chief! You sure that you don't need a lift?"

"Just go, like you said, he'll be fine." Halsey assured. "He's waiting."

"Waiting for who?" Sayla asked as Chief entered a chip into a console on the wall and then started sprinting for Amuro's suit as soon as he pulled out the chip. "Oh...he was waiting for Cortana."

"I need a lift." Chief jumped up and landed in the open hand of the RE-GZ as it flew out of the hanger. Sayla's Eagley followed after it and then accelerated to full speed to get as far away from the speeding Chariot of Cruelty as fast as possible.

"ETA to impact...20 seconds." Amuro counted through the comm, his fist now carefully balled around Chief as the Re-GZ flew as fast as its MS mode would allow. "15 seconds...10 seconds..."

"We get the idea Amuro!" Judau shouted over the comm just as the Massive Zeon vessel impacted its stem upon 5th Luna. Then the strike force saw two luminous bursts of energy come forth from the Chariot. The first was a golden red energy bloom which waved through the ship's hull and weaved around its shields and engines. The second was a blue silver sparkling ball which rolled and molded itself out from the light corvette still lodged in the Chariot.

When the two orbs of light collided, everything went white.

Silence followed.

Dark Black and Cold Silence.

* * *

 **Ra Cailum**

"Detonation confirmed."

"I'm not blind Agi." Noah replied when the darkness withdrew, leaving only starless blackness where 5th Luna originally was. "That's one less problem to worry about. This is Commodore Bright Noah to Federation High Command, 5th Luna has been destroyed. I repeat to all Federation vessels, 5th Luna has been destroyed. The colony drop has been averted."

"You're not taking credit for this Noah." Bright was more happy than he was annoyed when he heard Amuro's voice on the comm. "I better get boku vacation time and vacation pay for that stunt."

"Easy Lt. Commander-"

"Again...did you not see that?" Amuro asked despite Sayla's laughter. "Did everyone see that because I will not be doing it again!"

"Good to hear from you too." Bright replied and opened a channel to the Forward Unto Dawn. Damaged, but still flying steadily. "Commodore Noah to Commander Keyes, thanks for saving my kids."

"My pleasure sir." Keyes saluted despite her broken arm and the battered condition of her bridge. "Your team's recuperating aboard my ship for the moment. They're battered, but their spirits are high and their wounds aren't fatal. But their mobile suits have seen better days."

"Forward the repair bill later." Bright wasn't concerned about money at that moment. "What's the status on the enemy forces?"

"I just got a status update from High Command." Keyes replied. "They report that the enemy is withdrawing from all sectors. Grey and Harvest Fleet are in pursuit for any stragglers, but otherwise the Earth Sphere is in Federation control. The day is won."

Bright shouted as loudly as he could. "We better fucking win after six days! ESF! ESF!"

"ESF! ESF!" Hundreds of thousands of voices joined Bright as they celebrated their victory in the space above Earth's skies. A space littered with the smoldering and burning debris of thousands of ships. Capital vessels; heavy warships; frigates; gunships; transport vessels; recovery ships; repair stations; defense platforms; fighters; mobile suits; and even many unclaimed and unrecognizable bodies.

"ESF! ESF! ESF..." Bright Noah collapsed into his seat, exhausted and finally relieved to have both survived and to have seen the fighting ended. "That's called earning your happy ending...bitches..."

He was already asleep before he planted his face on the floor.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Mission complete! Londo Bell successfully rescues Dr. Halsey and blunts the advance of the Triumvirate. With their own ship.**

 **With that, the Opening Act is done!** **Now the story can truly begin...**

 **Did anyone think that they'd win the war that easily?**


	6. Act V: Blessed Breath

**Skies of Terra**

"This is Earth?" One of the clones asked as he looked out the gunship's window. "What a dump."

"Watch it! Some of us like it here!" An ODST veteran shouted from the back of the passenger section. "Don't like it! Go somewhere else!"

"I would, but its a long way back to Reach." Jorge mused, his fellow spartans all quietly meditating and resting in their seats. Jorge was pretty upbeat despite the wreckage and debris field that the ship flew over. "I take it that this place has seen better days?"

"It has." Amuro replied, probably the only native of Earth within his particular group. "You need to go by Okinawa! That or...West Africa, Greece, North Shire in England, or the Mid-west of the USA. Those are all good places to see what Earth looks like at its best. Or the Himalayas."

"The what?" Emile inquired, still sharping his blade on the skull of an elite zealot. "What are those? Valleys or something?"

"The tallest mountain range on the planet." Amuro answered, briefly forgetting that most of the troops on this ship weren't as familiar with Earth as he was. "Airs thinner at the top, but you get a good view of Asia from there."

"What's Asia?" Sayla asked, her head resting on Amuro's shoulder. Amuro scoffed and turned away in mock disgust. "I'm only kidding. Even colonists know what Asia is."

"That and you've been to Asia, Sayla."

"Yeah...fun times..." The ship finally touched down in the busy city of Lhasa. Capital of the Autonomous region of Tibet, this city was also the Federation's Headquarters ever since the end of the Federation Civil War known now as the Gryps Conflict. As far as Amuro knew, the HQ was primarily located under the city within the plateau. Despite this, the city seemed joyful and busy as the ship hovered closer to ground level.

"All Passengers! We've arrived at Lhasa Port!" The gunship captain declared as the re-purposed vehicle carrier landed on a pad and gave a slight push to its passengers. Jolting some upwards to wake up anyone who was asleep or hung over. "Please secure all belongings before departing at this stop. To all other passengers, we will be taking a fifteen minute break to refuel and stretch our legs before we recommence travel to Luna Point Station."

"Fresh air at last." Amuro remarked, getting out of his seat and easing his way through the aisles towards the exit. When he walked out, he could already feel the cool Tibetan breeze hit his skin. It felt cold and yet, alive. He had missed this feeling after being away from Earth for four years. "Breath it in...this is Terran air, not like any other."

"Amen to that brother!" A marine shouted when he walked past carrying his bag. Another man pushed his way out on a wheelchair, not happy with the prospect of facing his family in his state. A third soldier grit his teeth, several dog tags around his neck which he carried proudly despite his tears.

"Papa!" A little girl jumped into her father's arms, the man tearfully and happily embraced the child. "I missed you, papa!"

"I'm home now little Ginna...I ain't gonna leave you again!" The man cried, his prosthetic arm hanging to his side to keep from accidently hurting his little girl. "Now lets go get some food."

"I'm sorry mom! I couldn't save them!" A man with full beard gripped his smiling, yet crying mother tenderly as he wept in her embrace. "I'm so sorry! I failed this family!"

"As long as you're alive, you haven't failed anyone!" The frail old woman shouted and tightened her grip. "Your brothers were grown men, boy! So was your father! I'm proud them and I'm proud of you."

"Anyone seen my son?" A man who looked like he'd traveled a long way stood in the middle of the crowd of the departing and the arriving. He held a photo in his hands depicting a teen in uniform. "Please! His name's Sargeant Ryu Norani! He was with the 54th Jupiter Engineering Corp! Has anyone seen my son! Please! I'll pay for any information!"

Sayla looked upon the old man with sorrow. "Norani? Wasn't he listed as MIA?"

"That's not what he wants to hear." Amuro said, the old man continued calling after departing officers and personnel as if he were a dog chasing cars. "There's nothing we can do for him anyway."

"I can have Bright put in an inquiry when I get back to LB HQ." Sayla commented. "Besides, Bright hasn't gotten an official report yet and he'll get cranky soon."

"Just have Judau do it-"

"Him and Puru bailed, remember?" Sayla reminded Amuro. "Wish I were them...but it wouldn't help you. Enjoy your date with Tomino."

"Hold on." Amuro said in protest, grabbing Sayla's wrist before she could walk back to the gunship. "You're the leading officer of this mission. You should be the one reporting to the Supreme Commander."

"The Supreme Commander asked for you." Sayla responded. "That's fine with me anyway. One of us has to give our official debriefing to the Commodore."

"So he puts a mission on your shoulders and gives the credit to someone else?" Amuro replied with disgust. "We wouldn't have gotten Halsey or captured the ship without you. Hell! I wouldn't have gotten to the ship without you."

"You're sweet. But let's not forget that you're the one who was the brains of the mission." Sayla pointed out. "You're the one who got the idea to use Judau and Puru to take out the enemy spear. You got the ship to respond to our commands. Then you stopped 5th Luna from crashing into earth, all while saving all of our lives."

"I had a good team to work with." Amuro answered, referring to Sayla and the nearby spartans and clones who were getting in quick stretches and taking pictures. "I'll ensure that you're all commended for this."

"We're used to not getting credit, kid." Jorge assured the unhappy Amuro, speaking for the un-offended and uncaring Noble Team. "Our reward is a successful mission and a hefty paycheck."

"We get even less credit than they do." Sev remarked, getting a playful punch on the shoulder from Rosenda. "But don't worry about us Commander, we don't need a medal every time we do our job."

"See Amuro? We're fine with not getting our asses kissed." Sayla then kissed Amuro who was completely surprised. The clones hooted and the spartans teased, but Sayla kept the kiss going for a good moment before breaking it. "But if you're worried about me that much. You can give me a massage special after you're done basking in admiration and public praise."

Amuro smiled, his face as red as Sayla's uniform. He was still red even when he saluted her. "I'll hold you to that offer, Major."

Sayla returned the salute, swiftly licking her bottom lip just to tease Amuro. "Then I'll see you later. Commander."

Amuro was already hot.

He was already growling when he turned from the gunship and wished he could jump on to give Sayla her massage. Instead, he had to walk away while the gunship took off to take his comrades off into orbit where the Ra Cailum was being repaired, refueled and resupplied.

Leaving him alone to deal with Tomino.

"Lieutenant Commander Ray! Lieutenant Commander Ray!" Nevermind, Amuro had other problems to deal with...

* * *

 **Federation Lhasa HQ**

"Lt. Commander Ray! We still have more questions-" Amuro slammed the door behind him and set his back against the reinforced seal to breath. He could handle being praised by the Emperor's favorite consort; he shook hands with Vice President Gore without issue; Japan's Prime Minister was pleasant enough; The Iran President was respectful; and Ethiopia's representative embraced Amuro as thanks on behalf of his people.

The reporters weren't so likable.

"Wish I still had the Re-GZ then I wouldn't have to be bothered by them." Amuro muttered and straightened out his uniform. The uniform had actually belonged to a member of the UNSC air force and he'd been given the outfit to replace the one that he'd lost.

Or rather, the one that was too torn, burned, ripped and damaged to ever be presentable for the leader of the Earth Sphere Federation military.

"Your skills of evasion are fairly impressive." Amuro turned to his right and saw Colonel Trieze Khushrenada sitting at a piano.

Amuro didn't personally know much about Trieze's Organization of the Zodiac known as Oz for short. What he did know was that the division was a militaristic wing of the Romefeller Foundation, a collection of aristocrats, businessmen and royalties. Romefeller was a fervent supporter of the Titans and even after the Gryps Conflict, Romefeller and its members continue to wield substantial influence in the Federation.

Trieze was just one of the hydra's heads. In fact, he recently succeeded General Catalonia after the General broke his own legs, hit himself repeatedly with a bat, shot himself in both of his knees, twisted his arms out of their sockets, and overdosed on Vitamin Supplements.

Classic Case of Suicide. At least according to the official investigation report.

"At last we meet in person, Amuro Ray." Trieze offered his hand and Amuro shook it without emotion. "As you've already heard many times now, the Earth is in your debt. I thank you on behalf of OZ and my beloved Leia."

"Just doing my job sir." Amuro briskly replied, not wanting to speak with the man any longer than he had to. "Speaking of which, how are your men? I heard that your people took heavy losses."

"Massive losses..." Treize's face lost some of its luster when he answered. "We were caught between multiple enemy fleets without sufficient support. If not for the lightning prince, losses would have been worse."

"Lightning prince?"

"Another nickname for my best pilot." Trieze replied. "I hear that the Supreme Commander will commend him for his services. Along with the survivors of his division."

"Good to hear, he's earned it." Amuro acknowledged. "What do you know about casualties thus far colonel?"

"They range from heavy to massive." Treize answered and ran his hands across the keyboard. His fingers tested a few softer keys before he began a serenade that Amuro thought he recognized. "Terra Fleet suffered the worst losses, at least 80% of all ships and battalions are listed as destroyed or devastated. Yet it's leader remains unharmed."

"Solomon." Amuro repeated the name with hatred. Admiral David Solomon was the exact opposite of both of his biblical namesakes. As a Captain during the One-Year War, Solomon was present at the Battle of Loum. When Zeon began to claim the tide, Solomon was ordered to rescue General Revil from the Zeon strike force who'd captured him. Instead, Solomon completely abandoned his post and did nothing while many of his comrade suffered and died.

Yet, Solomon was not hanged for desertion. In fact, they gave that man the Medal of Stark Valor.

Later on as a Commodore, Solomon was sent in pursuit of a fleeing Zeon fleet detachment at Konpei Island. Solomon lost nearly his entire taskforce and was traumatized from his encounter with a single customized Rick Dias that was responsible for his losses. In addition with his deadly skills that day, it was this single episode which earned Anavel Gato his title as the "Nightmare of Solomon". Both for the location and for being the one thing that Solomon feared more than God.

A fear further confirmed when Solomon was present at the Navel Review during Operation Stardust.

As a Rear Admiral at the time, Solomon was among the few ships that luckily survived Gato's surprise assault. But the radiation from the GP02's beam had permanently blinded Solomon in his left eye and once again, his entire flotilla was either destroyed or damaged. However, Solomon somehow managed to enter the good graces of the Titans and was promoted to Admiral by the time of the Gryps Conflict.

"A wonder that he's still in office." Trieze mused, Amuro could feel that the colonel quietly agreed with Amuro's anger. "This failure along with his past association with the Titans and his failure during the Princess' Push should be grounds enough for dismissal."

"I've seen good men demoted or executed for less." Amuro prayed that this would be the time when Solomon is finally ordered to hang up his jacket and get the hell out of the Federation. "What's the overall status of the Sol Armada? Sir?"

"Awfully curious, aren't we?" Amuro paled when he realized that Tomino was standing right next to him. Amuro looked to the bald japanese man in his mid-thirties and felt nothing. No emotion, no thoughts...nothing that Amuro would have been able to sense.

Even looking into the man's dark eyes, Amuro thought he was looking into a void.

"It's rude not to salute your superior." Trieze chided as he saluted the Supreme Commander. "He's had a long day, commander. I apologize on his-"

"No need. If I hit a subordinate for every time I didn't get my ass kissed, people would be dead." The man known previously as Sage Tomino remarked to the Oz Colonel. "I heard someone playing Salieri."

"I believed it to be appropriate." Trieze answered. "Antonio Salieri doesn't receive as much praise as he deserves."

"Agreed." Tomino's face briefly softened and then returned to it's dark normal facade when he turned back to the stunned Amuro. "As for the status of the Sol Armada...I thus far calculate that 60% of its strength was lost. As Trieze told you, Terra Fleet suffered the most no thanks to that spineless coward Solomon. Delta fleet, Home fleet, the Earth sphere Guard, Sigma Fleet, Luna Fleet, Zaft Fleet, Grey Fleet and Blue Fleet all suffered heavily. Five days of non-stop conflict with an unending wave of enemies will do that...if our men were any less capable then Earth would be worst off. I would have commended Fleet Admiral Harper for his actions, but the man is dead. Hood tells me that he died ingloriously...like many of our people did. Many officers were killed as well, that leaves many holes in the structure of command. Especially now of all times when the Federation needs leaders and praetors who can lead it against Char."

That man's name snapped Amuro out of his awe and shock. "You are correct sir. But I'd remind you that we can suffer our losses better than Zeon can."

Tomino seemed surprised and amused by Amuro's change of attitude. "Go on Lieutenant Commander, explain."

Despite the Supreme Commander's bleak gaze, Amuro stood his ground. "Char may have gathered Zeon and Covenant remnants to his banner, but they're still remnants all the same. They have an inherently weak and fragile power base due to their status as outlaws both in the Earth's Sphere, near colonial influence zones and beyond. They have to rely on any ships and equipment that they can scavenge or acquire by private means. They are also inherently limited concerning recruitment options for their personnel which means that they're numbers will be low compared to ours."

Tomino nodded. "That all sounds impressive, but what does it mean?"

"Char needs his men more than we need ours." Despite the truth of his words, Amuro felt terrible about reducing the lives of his fellow comrades to statistics. "For every five ships that we lose, we can replace three. For every five that he loses, he'll be lucky to be able to replace one. To paraphrase General Revil, Zeon will tire itself out long before they can hope to defeat us."

Somehow Tomino's smirk scared Amuro. "See Khushrenada? I told you that this one is intelligent. There's a reason why he won the day while others simply endured it."

"I agree." Treize tipped his head to Amuro and continued his serenade. "The Supreme Commander just informed me about how he intends to make up for the Sol Armada's drastic losses. Though you are wrong on one account Amuro. The Federation is capable of replacing four ships for every five that we lose."

The supreme commander took out a small notebook filled with small lettering. Amuro swore that the man had fit 10 sentences in between each line of lined paper."The Colonial Armada could only bring 6 fleets to Earth in time for the battle. As of now, the Armada has lost less than 24% of its strength. I've already given Grand Admiral Hood orders to put the Armada on full alert for an Zeon or Covenant activity. Thanks to Major Mass, the Mobile Suit in the colonial arena are competent enough for the task of reducing Zeon's strength. The Sol Armada will remain within the Sol System until we replace all ships and personnel lost. Afterwards, we'll take the fight to Char and hunt him down."

"What do you think of this?" The Supreme Commander studied Amuro yet again. "You know Char Aznable better than anyone in this outfit apart from Major Mass. What will Char do next?"

So this was why he was here. Despite being on the winning side of this war and having won the battle above Earth, Tomino knew that the Federation had been wounded. Tomino didn't want to take any chances and had brought Amuro here to personally draw on any knowledge about Char that might be helpful to planning the Federation's next move.

Amuro wasn't sure if his answer would even satisfy the man.

The man's thoughts were blank to him, but Tomino seemed to read Amuro's mind perfectly. "Don't worry Captain, I won't hang you if I don't like your answers. I've simply never known the man personally, I've only ever been his enemy. But you can say that you fought alongside him during the Gryps Conflict and the Princess' Push. You also beat him many times during the One Year War...one of a short list of people who've ever crossed with Char on the battlefield and lived to tell the story. I know that you don't know exactly what Char's next move is. But you know how he thinks, how he acts, what he believes, and how he schemes. I need you to share this information with me...I need any small piece of advice that you can give."

"Yes sir-" Amuro stopped when he realized how the Supreme Commander had addressed him. "Sir...I'm just a Lieutenant Commander-"

"Not anymore. I'd already made up my mind before the Battle and your stunts merely confirmed my decision." Tomino remarked to Amuro's surprise and shock. "You and Bright should have been higher ranked than you are. But politics have kept you down...no more. When I took office, I swore that the Federation would be cleansed of all cancerous influences and useless baggage. That's the disease the precipitated both Zeon and the Titans...I swear not to let it happen again under my watch. But to cleanse the Federation, I need capable men in capable positions. I don't like the man, but Bright Noah is better as a commodore than as a mere commander or even a captain. And you'll be a better asset as a Captain in the Federation Navy."

"I...I don't know what to say-"

"Then say nothing and focus on my previous question. The one more important than how many medals you have on your dress blues." Tomino stated firmly. "Either way, you'll be doing a further service to the Federation among many other things you've done. When we're done, you'll depart back to your lover as a Grade Two Captain. If everything went my way, you'd be an Admiral by now. But we can't all get what we want, can we?"

As the notion of being an admiral terrified him, Amuro quietly disagreed.

* * *

 **Ra Cailum, Londenion**

Bright Noah took another swallow of hot chocolate. "Davenport? Madine? Eucon?"

"Admiral Norrrington died holding the line for his fleet to retreat." The newly promoted Brigadier General Kiichi Goto answered sullenly. "Cornelias was ambushed by the Covenant Stealth Fleet and was mortally wounded. The General died about two hours ago after screaming nonstop. Nonor Madine...The Commodore's ship was trapped between fifteen cleansing beams and practically evaporated. That makes how many officers dead?"

"I stopped counting." Noah grumbled and allowed a nurse to refill his drink. Despite his relatively light injuries and lack of sleep, Bright Noah didn't believe that he needed to be put on Medical Leave...however short it might be. But after losing so many commodores, generals, captains, admirals and other officers to the mayhem above Earth, Grand Admiral Hood didn't want to take any chances. Fortunately, those in Londo Bell who hadn't been injured were placed on leave so that they'd be mentally and physically recharged for the next impending deployment.

Yet, another reason why Bright considered himself lucky.

"What are you sore about? Your task force got off light all things considered." Goto reminded the commodore. "You also didn't have to spend most of the battle cleaning up damaged ships, evacuating endangered cities and rescuing corpses from submerged ships. Not to mention the late notice about the colony drop...that would've been a huge boost to my hazard pay if not for your meddling kids."

"We can't all get rich quick." Bright sarcastically replied. "Any ideas about why this fight started in the first place?"

Goto took out a newspaper headlining a Venator that crashed in pieces across the American East Coast. "Your kids didn't tell you anything?"

"All I know is that Dr. Halsey got nabbed." Noah answered in thought. "But that's not like Char. It's not like Char to throw hundreds of ships into the fray just to capture one woman. Even if he planned the colony drop all along, he'd have been better off with a false flag operation to lure our attention elsewhere."

"You're forgetting that Char's not alone." Goto said with a detective's mind. "Initially, Zeon's forces weren't much larger than a flotilla and were much quieter. It wasn't until after they tried to leave the Earth Sphere that the fighting escalated piece by piece. Maybe Char had a different plan in mind, but some idiot screwed things up and forced him to improvise? That would explain the chaotic nature of the enemy reinforcements."

Bright remembered that all too well. Londo Bell had arrived in Area 20 per Admiral Hackett's orders and couldn't believe what he had gotten himself into. The Commodore knew now with all of the fighting taking place that the only reason that Londo Bell wasn't wiped out immediately was because the enemy was focused on the larger fleets and divisions. Since they were larger in number, they couldn't move from area to area as quickly and were more vulnerable. The smaller flotillas and task forces proved key to ensuring that Fleets such as Delta and Luna weren't completely routed and torn apart. By moving from Area to Area to harass enemy fleets and support allied forces and stations, the Federation was able to create a rudimentary life-line with which to gain momentum for the madness that they were involved in.

Especially after Solomon screwed everything up.

The life-line broke in multiple places when Zeon and Covenant reinforcements entered and surprised vulnerable positions. Five Guard Stations were instantly destroyed and Solomon panicked. When he abandoned his crippled ship, his scattered Terra Fleet vice admirals and commodores were left to their own devices. That's why so many officers were labeled as deceased.

Bright still recalled one particular Vice Admiral who completely froze.

 _"Admiral Beckett! You're being bombarded from all sides! Order your fleet to fallback, we'll cover your retreat!"_ Bright still remembered the vacant and disbelieving look on Hollander Beckett's face as the man saw his fleet get torn apart. _"Beckett! This is Commodore Noah! Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?"_

 _"War is...is just...good business..."_ How the man could seem so still and unmoving even as his own vessel was ripped apart was a majestic and morbid sight to Bright. And as Beckett was reduced to nothing by plasma fire, Bright cursed and tried to contact Beckett's second-in command. But since that guy was dead already, it was left to Lieutenant Theodore Groves to command the retreat of Beckett's India Shire Fleet towards Federation positions. Fortunately, Groves survived the battle and still retains temporary command until the Admirality appoints a suitable replacement.

When Amuro arrived five days after Bright did, Noah had faith that the man would find a way to save the day. Faith that was gratefully rewarded when Zeon's strongest position was demolished and when 5th Luna was destroyed by quick thinking. Even though the enemy went into retreat, fleets such as Shepard, Onyx and Grey Fleet pursued with augmented divisions and managed to down several ships and capture thousands of personnel before the enemy disappeared from the system.

But none of them were named Anavel Gato.

"It's interesting that Gato himself entered the fray." Bright had already received Sayla's report of their mission and was surprised by some of the details that he read. "Now why would he do that? Why would Char send his most experienced and talented officer towards a battle that was never meant to happen?"

"Damage control." Goto commented and bit on a cookie. "Whatever the screw-up was, Char didn't want to take any more chances. So he sent a capable and cautious officer to take command of his wayward troops. Take the reigns from the drunken coachman and steer the course to safer hills. Plus, Gato has a lot of personal hatred towards the Federation...he smelled a chance for bloodshed and took it. You said that your crew never confirmed if he left his ship or not, does that mean he's dead?"

"A man like Gato doesn't die easily." Bright replied in thought. "Gato had been confirmed dead during the Stardust Incident. Thousands of eyewitnesses saw the man kamikaze his damaged mobile armor into Admiral Pellete's cruiser. Yet, here was Gato. Working alongside the nemesis of a man whom he idolized to destroy a common enemy like a revenant from the dead come forth to torment the living." However, Sayla's report made no mention of pale skin, rotting flesh or even the presence of cybernetic augmentation on Gato's body.

"In short, Gato won't let himself die until he stands above the ashes and spits on them." Gato concluded. "Quite different from my old friend Hoba...Hoba was content to watch his enemies drown in their filth while he laughed at them from hell. Gato on the other hand..."

"Prefers a front row seat to his revenge." Noah finished. "No wonder he joined with Char. Him and Char are almost the same in that regard...which makes me wonder what Char, Gato and the rest of his band of misfit murderers are up to. Or if our victory was even a victory at all."

* * *

 **Gato arrives on Dorvan V**

Exiting slip-space, the 70 meter mobile armor glided over a Atmospheric Guard Station which protected the planet behind it.

Dorvan V was previously a colonial world which belonged to an inter-planetary empire called the Cardassian Union. But the Cardassians were wiped out many centuries ago in a war with the Covenant and Dorvan V was largely abandoned. By the time that explorers from Earth had rediscovered the planet, its indigenous human and hybrid-human populations had entered a proto-iron age. But, the planet was deemed unfit for colonization despite the presence of a breathable atmosphere and largely forgotten yet again.

The Republic of Zeon established an agreement with the people of Dorvan which allowed them access to the plentiful mines of resources such as palladium and platinum in exchange for protection from outside invaders. In time, Dorvan became a refuge and a steadfast supporter for Zeon factions after the One Year War and some of its people even joined the ranks of the Remnant.

As he entered the planet's atmosphere, Anavel Gato exhaled when he noted other ships that had just arrived from their Failed Operation at Earth. He lamented to so many more ships and personnel would never return home from Operation Chariot.

The original plan of the Operation was for Vice Admiral Hurok to coordinate with infiltrators within ONI and the Federation Guard to slip past Earth's defenses and capture Dr. Halsey while she was visiting an old colleague in Hakone, Japan. Afterwards, Hurok would immediately hyper-jump out of the system while an escort fleet would engage Federation forces and then retreat, leading Terra Fleet on a stellar chase away from Earth. Which would allow an opening for 5th Luna to be dropped on Federation HQ and precipitate a surprise attack on Reach and the Federation's Colonial leadership while the snake had lost its head. Afterwards, the leaderless Federation and the leaders it protected would be forced to accept the Prime Chairman's terms for peace.

Operation Chariot had been a complete failure the moment that Hurok failed to avoid an all-out engagement.

But further escalation and the thwarting of 5th Luna's Drop had only exasperated the Operation's failure. Both the Covenant and Zeon forces had suffered more than 50% casualties from all of the fighting and it would all be for nothing. Worst yet, with the colony drop averted through the hijacking of Hurok's own ship, the Federation would not be in the state of vulnerability necessary for a blitz on Reach.

He hadn't felt more disgrace since A Baoa Qu.

Still, Gato reflected on that battle as he flew through the cloudy skies of Dorvan down towards a large canyon hole in the middle of a northern desert. Gato knew that despite his guilt, he had done everything in his power to salvage the operation. He had taken command when Hurok was determined to keep finding ways to fail, he had mobilized his forces to keep the Federation from consolidating its numerical advantage, and he was even able to bait the Federation into opening gaps for reinforcements including the fleet division escorting 5th Luna.

Gato still couldn't believe that someone sold the giant rock to them.

But it was all for nothing.

All because of that blasted White Devil, Amuro Ray...just like during the One-Year War.

As he flew down closer to one of the docking bays within the vast pit, Gato took note of the thousands of mobile suits that were being completed as he descended towards the Zeon base. While their production power was only 40% as powerful as the Federation's total production capabilities, Gato was confident in the superior quality and craftsmanship of his engineers. Not to mention that shared technological secrets which the Storm Covenant had readily provided Neo-Zeon upon the cementing of their alliance.

Anavel Gato docked his Neue Ziel above one of many circular platforms jutting out from the canyon wall. The mobile armor was held in place by mechanical arms that appeared and clamped upon the armor's shoulders. Satisfied, Gato powered down his suit and opened the cockpit. When he landed on the platform, he stood to see thousands of personnel standing at attention in perfect formation lining to greet him.

 _"Even in defeat, my men respect me."_ Gato saluted the engineers, pilots, and guards of the Delaz Grand Fleet and watched his men get to work on refueling and repairing the damage to his suit.

"Lord-Admiral, I'm glad that you survived." The Delaz Fleet's chief instructor Captain Karius replied as he stood in position. "When I heard that the Chariot of Cruelty had been taken and destroyed, I feared that you were on it."

"I was on the ship, but was forced to escape to evade capture." Gato bitterly admitted and motioned for his old friend to follow him. "What is the status of our surviving forces?"

"Intelligence reports that we've lost 53% of our forces. Tyrant Fleet suffered the heaviest losses and only 5% of all personnel and officers can be accounted for." Karius reported. "Covenant forces lost 60% of their fleets, but were able to retreat in good order. Our own Neo Zeon units were scattered by Federation pursuit and the absence of clear commands. Some made here while others have retreated to Sweetwater, Remudon, and shipyards at Bilbringi and Gerrard. The Federation's Sol Armada and Inner Colonial forces are remaining stationary according to our inside sources. But the Outer Colonial forces are preparing to mobilize."

"Let them." Gato remarked, while Zeon had failed to deal a crippling blow, they'd left the Federation ailing and unable to counterattack against an effective target. "They don't know where to start looking for us."

"Lord-Admiral Gato." As Gato and Karias entered the main hallway, Gato acknowledged a newer officer whose name Gato had forgotten. "Prime Chairman Char requests a report from you. He is holding on channel for your answer, sire."

"Inform him that I shall respond promptly." The officer saluted and quickly marched back to the communications array as Gato turned to Karius. "Return to your duties, we'll speak more later."

Karius was clearly worried as he saluted his Admiral. "If the Chairman doesn't execute you sir."

Gato didn't need to be reminded of Admiral Needa's fate, but he was not worried. "He won't. Despite my failure, he still needs me."

At least until his use was ended. Afterwards, Gato didn't doubt that Garma's murderer had plans for his own demise.

* * *

 **Balearic Islands, Spain**

Sayla Mass exited the restroom after a hot shower and sat at the edge of her bed.

The massive suite she resided in had been an inheritance gift from her adoptive father Don Teabolo Mass. One which she used as a personal retreat in between deployment tours for the past 14 years. It was a large and well designed building meant for a large family with 10 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 3 kitchens, a large outdoor porch on the side and the front and an expansive basement which Sayla had partially remodeled into a hanger for her gundam.

She had also inherited other mansions and property from Papa Mass and her true father, Zeon Zum Deikum including the Mass Household and a small castle north of the now defunct Sanc Kingdom. But she liked this place the most, it was closest to the sea and had a great view of the sky all around her. The only downside were the threat of hurricanes, but what's life without risk?

Plus, she killed a man at the Mass Household.

She was just a little girl, but Sayla knew that she had murdered someone. She wasn't even sure about how she had done it. But, whatever she did when she looked in the eyes of the man trying to kill Casval, it froze the man solid and killed him before he even hit the ground. Sayla was so stunned that she would have died as well if Mr. Jimba's sons, Rambo and Ramba hadn't saved her. The memory was so stark, that Sayla couldn't spend one night in that house without having flashbacks to that day when Zabi assassins killed her foster father and tried to murder her and Casval.

No, she'd take the hurricanes any day over constantly reliving that horrible night.

A night worst than the day her father died...

Deciding to entertain herself, Sayla turned on the television and saw an interesting story on the news.

 _"Earlier today, Federation Hero Amuro Ray was seen presenting Supreme Commander Tomino's commendations, awards and promotions to several individuals who'd shown extraordinary bravery during Neo-Zeon's assault on Earth."_ The camera switched to where a stoic Amuro stood before a line of Federation personnel who all stood at attention. _"These individuals included academy cadets who had been called into duty due to the invasion's severity. Cadets such as Flit Asuno who has been graduated with honors, granted the rank of lieutenant commander and granted the Medal of Lionheart. Young Lucrezia Noin is only 9 years old and yet she has been granted graduation as a lieutenant and has been given the Ironsoul Medal for her efforts in rescuing and protecting over 50 stranded and wounded comrades."_

"In the name of the Earth Sphere Federation and by the powers of the nations within, I welcome you into the fold as brother in arms." Amuro said to a young man with dark red hair whom sternly stared ahead as Amuro penned two medals onto his dress blues. "From this day forth, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Captain and shall bear the Federation Medal of Glory and Courage. You have earned this through your courage in the face of death and through quick action in the face of destruction both for yourself and your crew. Know now that your service shall never be forgotten and that the Federation owes through your actions."

Takaya looked like he was ready to tear up, but puffed out his chest instead. "Thank you sir!"

 _"A native of Osaka, Japan, Yuzo Takaya had taken command of the "Rise Unto Hope" after his captain Tatsumi Tashiro was critically injured and most other officers killed in action."_ The reporter explained as Amuro moved on to a sullen silver-haired boy to award him his commendations. _"These individuals are not the only ones to be awarded for their actions. The Supreme Commander has reportedly granted promotions and commendations to many Federation personnel including posthumous honors for deceased members."_

 _"But it appears that not everyone was acknowledged."_ The camera shifted to another scene where thousands of protesters held up signs protesting the lack of commendations and awards for the thousands clone troopers and spartans who'd participated in the battle. _"Even now, thousands protest in Side 1 and on colonial worlds such as Arcadia, Reach and New Harmony. They march and shout believing that the Supreme Commander is not giving enough credit where credit is due."_

"Where's Master Chief's medal!" One protester shouted while wearing a replica helmet modeled after chief's armor despite being the wrong color. "Stop screwing the spartans you pigs!"

"My son lost his legs you fascist pricks!" An older woman shouted as she threw a rock at a riot suit standing by in case the protests turned violent. "His severance package won't even cover his surgery! Where's his medal you ungrateful sons of bitches!"

"Join the club lady." Sayla decided as she turned off the television and finished off her second wine bottle. "This Earth stuff is really weak...or maybe growing up in a brewery makes drinking games boring."

"You should have company then." Sayla's face lit up and she turned to see Amuro standing next to her bed with a medal in his hand. "I still can't believe that Tomino gave you the Lunar Medal of Will and Might."

"Like you said, we wouldn't have gotten on that ship without me." Sayla lied back on her bed, quietly inviting Amuro to join her. "Is that the Commander's excuse for letting you reunite with me?"

"He was going to give you the medal personally, but he gave me the offer since we're in the same unit." Amuro threw off his jacket and shirt before jumping onto Sayla's bed and causing her to bounce on her own mattress. Sayla laughed and watched Amuro pin the tiny medal onto her jacket hanging nearby. When he turned back to her, Sayla didn't need to be a newtype to sense his thoughts.

Being in love is spectacular, but it's more so when one or both of the lovers are newtypes. Amuro's emotions were conserved and turned inward in most occasions, but never to Sayla. She could read him like a book and right now, she saw that he was aroused by her. No, that wouldn't be enough to describe his desire and love. In Amuro's eyes, Sayla looked like a greek siren. She would be naked except for the white and pink sheer mesh night dress and g-string panties that she wore.

"You owe me a massage." Sayla ran her hand in between her breasts, exposing how her nightdress was unbottoned and exposed a wide line of skin from her chest down to her crotch. "Where do you want to start...commander?"

"It's Captain, now." His face was upon her's, his Brown eyes looked into her emerald iris'. "I couldn't wait to find you again."

Amuro felt Sayla grab his hands and guide them towards her exposed bosom. He didn't stop her, he felt the supple weight of each heavy breast and felt Sayla's breath and heart beat increase. "You found me..." He tenderly moved one hand towards the center of her chest and kept it there, feeling Sayla's heart beat within her chest. She kissed him and wrapped her arms around him to trap him against her.

"Hey Amuro! Congratulations on your promotion-" Kai Shidan stopped when he realized what he'd walked into. In fact, Sayla and Amuro continued to escalate their session despite Kai's unannounced entry. "I picked a bad time. Cool, the gifts are by the couch. I'll come back tomorrow after Fraw wakes you up."

Puzzled Amuro briefly raised his head from in between Sayla's legs. "Did you hear something? I think someone came in-"

"They left! Keep going!" Amuro complied and Sayla's screams could be heard throughout the whole complex. The first of many sounds that she and Amuro would make during this well-earned night of love, bliss and rest.

* * *

 **Unicorn's Burden**

It was about two hours before dawn when Amuro finally woke, satisfied and exhausted.

Beside him, he heard Sayla Mass sleep peacefully with one leg wrapped around Amuro's waist. It was like she subconsciously wanted to stay connected to Amuro in any way possible. Amuro toyed with a bang in her face and gently kissed her forehead.

But instead of Sayla, he was looking at Beltorchika.

Beltorchika Irma's long hair flowed across her shoulders and breasts. Amuro shuddered when he saw her emerald green eyes stare right back into Amuro's. Her bony and bleeding hand caressed Amuro's face as he felt the blood that flowed out of her stomach and from the gash where her right arm used to have been.

 _"You're the reason I'm dead."_ Beltorchika leaned in to kiss Amuro and he felt Beltorchika's head break into muscle and blood as her lips touched his.

One blink removed Beltorchika from his sight.

But Amuro still gasped and shuddered from what he'd just seen. Sweating, he fell out of bed and bundled his knees up to his chest as he sobbed. She still haunted him...just like everyone else he had failed to protect. Everyone who he'd failed to save.

"Amuro?" He heard Sayla tiredly call out. "If you wanna have another quickie, I won't stop you. I told you gets me off when you lay in to me while I'm asleep-" She must've felt his distress because Sayla had rolled off the bed and ran to Amuro's side.

"Hey! Amuro! Amuro!" She turned Amuro's face to her own, trying to reach Amuro as he felt trapped amidst failure and despair. "Listen to me! Amuro! It wasn't your fault! You saved the day! You saved three million people today. You saved the Sol Armada and probably the Federation as well."

"I couldn't save Beltorchika..." Sayla grimaced at that woman's name. Sayla had admitted that she was jealous of Beltorchika's relationship with Amuro, but had been happy for Amuro. Even so, she understood what had just happened to her lover. "For every person I save...there's ten more that I failed...I almost lost you..."

"But you didn't-"

"We were lucky!" Amuro shouted and shook even more heavily. "I saw her...I saw that green mobile suit kill you and there was nothing I could've done to stop it! If not for that kid with the Tallgeese...if not for him and those children...you would've died...because I wasn't strong enough..."

Sayla forced Amuro's hands into her own and held him close to his chest. "Feel my tits? Feel my heartbeat? Feel it. I'm alive and so are you. We're not all-powerful Amuro...but when we're together, we don't have to be. You think I didn't see my life flash before my eyes? I did...but I'm alive and I'm going to keep it that way for as long as I can help it. But if I had died, I would have died loving you like I do now. My death would not be your fault...just like Beltorchika's death wasn't your fault...she died loving you, Amuro..."

"Sayla..." Amuro found Sayla's lips with his own, she gently impaled herself on Amuro and slowly straddled him. Amuro was caught between love and self-hatred, despair and joy and many other emotions as he gave in and made-love to the woman riding his crouch. He knew that she was comforting and helping him and Amuro was too weary to refuse her. He needed her too much. He loved her too much.

But she didn't understand.

How could she ever understand?

* * *

 **Sweetwater**

"My love...come back to bed..."

"Not now..." His hair sweaty and unruly, the man kissed his eager, but worn out lover. "Go to sleep Nanai. I will see you in the morning."

"Of course...my love..." Though in truth, he did not love Miguel, he could not doubt her beauty or her loyalty. Her body structure was also well built for the birthing and mothering of children in the event that he was blessed to become a father.

Then again, what blessing did he deserve? He whose hands would be stained with the blood of saints and sinners in the billions?

As put on some pants and walked out onto the balcony of his late father's estate, the pioneer of humanity's freedom looked upon the poor souls stuffed within this congested and poorly built colony. Sweetwater was created through the lazy design of combining the design of an Island 3 open-type colony with a closed-type colony. This was done as a hasty way of creating a place of refuge for refugees of the One Year War, Gryps Conflict, Covenant War and First Neo Zeon War. But the place was overpopulated and the Federation largely left the people without the tools and means to improve the livelihood of their lives.

It was as if these millions of souls were stuffed in this box to die.

No, that's exactly why there all here.

How better to deal with the surplus population than to isolate them and starve them to death?

In fact, Sweetwater was the perfect metaphor for all of humanity.

The Pioneer had been surprised that the Federation had yet to suspect this place of harboring him or his followers. Thus, the man's suspicions about the Federaton's utter lack of concern for this colony seemed confirmed to him. But he would use their pride and stupidity to set the seeds for his crusade that was now unfolding. Operation Chariot may have failed to destroy the Federation Headquarters on Earth and forced an abortion of the planned assault on Reach, but it was not a total loss.

He had Lieutenant Cruz to thank for that.

But now, it was time to move on to the next stage. The pioneer took out his communication device and contacted his chosen subordinate. "Captain Lyle, have you arrived at Pangaea?"

"Yes my lord. It's a sparse system like you said." The man heard his subordinate reply. "There as a problem with the package. The Arbiter intercepted the convoy and destroyed our largest asteroids...the rest were damaged before he retreated."

The pioneer was annoyed, but not surprised. He had planned for this possibility. "But the package arrived at Mu?"

"Yes sir. But it's barely the size of a small car-"

"It will be enough." The Leader of Neo-Zeon declared and felt his heart grow heavier before he spoke. "Proceed."

With this strike, all doors backwards would be closed.

But freedom can only be achieved by moving forward to the future.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **I know, no one likes slow and talky chapters.**

 **But there necessary for the story, so they're essentially required headaches.**

 **Trust me, things will get more intense in the next chapter both in terms of drama, action and comedy.**

 **Just endure the mundane boredom in the meantime.**

 **PS: Anyone with knowledge/interest in military strategy and tactics are free to comment and critique how such aspects are presented in the story. Though I've studied strategy, tactics and military stuff for years (comes with the territory of being a military brat with an older brother in the military), but I dare not pretend to be an expert on the subject. So anything provided should help refine the authentic edge that I'm trying to present.**

 **At least as authentic as you can get considering the genre of this story.**


	7. Act VI: Hammer from the Heavens

**Lhasa, Tibet**

"Kalsang!" The boy heard his mother call out on as the noon sun looked down upon the city. He looked back and ran to where his mother was sitting to catch her breath. "Not so fast child..."

"Sorry mother..." The boy apologized, watching his mother caress her enlarged belly. "Sorry brother and sister..."

"We forgive you." She said with a knowing smile. "Now your father on the other hand..."

Kalsang's eyes widened in horror. "Please don't tell father..."

"I won't." Kalsang gave a small cheer as his mother stood up and took a second to balance herself. "Now come on! Or we'll miss Father Choden's mass."

"Yes mother." Father Choden was a nice man from Yanjing who'd been friends with his father. Kalsang couldn't read most of his books since they were either in English or Latin. But he hoped to be able to once he started learning about other languages like English, Japanese or Chinese.

His father Rabten was a staff officer in the Earth Federation, so he couldn't be home as much as Kalsang would have liked. So it was up to Kalsang to look after his pregnant mother and soon, he'd have to help her care for his twin siblings. The doctor said that one was a boy and the other a girl.

Personally, Kalsang hoped for two brothers.

As he walked alongside his mother, he suddenly felt a small tingling in his body. He looked up at the noon sun above and swore that he saw a light blue blink somewhere past it. Kalsang rubbed out his eyes and looked back up, only to see nothing at all. So he decided not to pay it any more mind.

And then it happened.

Kalsang felt everything and yet he felt nothing. A great wind poured through and around his body, stripping him first of his clothing, then his skin shriveled and then his eyes melted within his sockets. His flesh and bones merged as one until what remained of his body became a standing dried statue which soon blew away into white hot dust.

Choden sat in prayer and the name of God was the last word he uttered. His soul departed from his body within a second, sparing him and his family of the pain they would have endured as they were stripped of flesh and bone and reduced to ash.

Rabten heard the great crash which was destroying his home, but he saw nothing within the Federation bunker. Everyone around him merely stood still in shock and terror until the storm found them. Then many tons of steel and concrete vaporized into a hot steam which caught him. He tried to scream, but the steam entered his lungs and burned him from the inside as well as the outside, choking and burning him until death claimed him mere seconds later.

Tashi and Tenzin were now joined in body as they had been in heart and soul. Despite the terror and the great fire which consumed them, they were willing to face their death and the oblivion which would follow together.

A disciple of the Dalai Lama sat in mediation upon the mountains south of Tibet, watching a mighty fireball rise up in the sky and send forth a mighty wave across the earth. Once a developer of weapons and death, the disciple knew well that he was doomed to die. That which had destroyed Tibet had impacted the earth with the force of 10,000 nuclear warheads. Already, he could see that within 60 kilometers was pancaked under a massive weight. The great weight had then exploded into a massive fireball which sent heat and energy across a 120 kilometer radius.

Bodies were reduced to flesh and bone, buildings disintegrated into dust and powder, and all else that remained was thrown and sent through the air by the force of a great pressurized hurricane that ran about the earth for a hundred and sixty-two miles.

The Force of the happening was so great and terrible that cities and buildings as far as four hundred miles were destroyed and shaken from their foundations. Vehicles lifted and thrown upon each other; glass, debris, fire and blood pelted millions; and the air itself became a moving wall before which everything bent.

Everything except for the mountains.

Though they were shaken and avalanches threw rock and stone upon the valleys below, the great range of the himalayas had seen worst cataclysms and still endured. Those living behind the great mountains were unknowingly protected, believing that the shaking of their homes and the ground below them was the sign of a minor earthquake.

The disciple was not one of those protected.

As he exhaled his last breath, the great wave of air and power threw his body up many hundreds of feet slammed him into the side of the mountains.

* * *

 **Balearic Islands, Spain**

"No biting!" Sayla laughed as an embarrassed Amuro pushed her out of bed. "What?"

"You were all over me with your teeth!" Sayla stood up and grabbed her breasts to show all of the spots were Amuro's teeth left their mark. "So man up and let me get even!"

"I'm not letting you bite off little Amuro!" Sayla laughed more and lied across Amuro's lap, who smiled despite his annoyance. "What the hell am I gonna do with you?"

"The same thing that you've been doing to me for years..." Amuro leaned down and tenderly nibbled Sayla's neck. "Hypocrite..."

"Guilty as charged." Amuro brought his lips onto Sayla's, massaging her tongue with his own as he held her against his chest. He gasped when he felt Sayla grab his erect pecker with more than a small amount of strength. "Sore about losing last night-"

"Guess I can get an early start." With no objection from Amuro, Sayla bent down and swallowed his shaft all the way up to the hilt. His thoughts went to very happy places as he gasped and soothed his hand over Sayla's hair, quietly urging her to go faster.

 _"You're the reason I'm dead."_ Miss Matilda rose up to his face holding something in her mouth. Amuro's joy turned to terror as she opened and revealed a crimson river that sprayed all over Amuro's face.

"So things have gone to shit and you need to-" Kai Shidan grimaced and took out a camera just to capture this scene. Not for lustful purposes, but so he could humiliate his friends at the right moment. With Amuro enjoying Sayla so much that he was staring at nothing and Sayla enjoying Amuro too much to bother looking up, Kai snapped a silent picture and then sat in a lounge chair to relax. "So where's the butler?"

Amuro blinked and looked over to the new guest. "Kai!" He gasped and Sayla shook from Amuro's climax while having one of her own. "How long have you-"

"Less than a minute." To his credit, Kai looked away from the couple and turned on the tv to see a commercial about some pocket monster craze in Japan. "Don't let me stop you."

Sayla stood up and took a deep and loud swallow before happily looking to Kai. "Hey Kai! You're lucky that Mr. Irons is out on his morning jog."

Amuro turned to Sayla in confusion. "Sayla...why are you being so casual about Kai breaking in while we were having sex?"

"Cause she knows that I left you both alone last night." Kai remarked and chuckled when Amuro covered his crotch and quickly grabbed one of Sayla's boobs to hide it and the other one. "Yeah, too late for that. I already saw everything."

Amuro held out his hand. "The camera."

Kai snapped his fingers and tossed his camera to Amuro. "So much for getting even."

"Really people?" Amuro gasped in surprise when Fraw Kobeyashi entered the room and hung up her long-coat. "You should make your bed when guests are present!"

"You stormed in without invitation-"

"Didn't have time, you both surprised us." Sayla answered to Amuro's continued shock. "Relax Amuro, Fraw's seen us have sex before."

"I don't need to be reminded." Fraw remarked, still a tad bitter about that incident on White Base when a younger Fraw walked in on her ex-sweetheart pounding Sayla in the Gundam's cockpit. The heartbreak made the memory last longer than it should have. "Also, the honeymoon's over anyway. I got a call from Mirai, Bright's calling all hands on deck."

"Last I checked, we were on vacation after a job well done." Amuro countered and saw Fraw exhale and sit right next to the still naked Amuro. "You don't need to be this close..."

Fraw pinched her nose. "You haven't seen the news."

"What news?" Amuro inquired and looked to Kai who wasn't offering any help. "Well? What happened?"

"Federation HQ got wiped off the map." Bright Noah as he entered the room, further annoying Sayla and embarrassing Amuro. "At least that's the story right now. We don't know exactly what hit Lhasa except that it cratered the city and everything else within 700 kilometers of Lhasa. So get dressed, get washed and come with me, the Top Brass wants the brightest and smartest to figure out who did this and how they did it."

"Char..." Amuro bitterly said, he just knew that this was Char's revenge. That was too easy of a guess. "What's the damage this attack?"

* * *

 **Earth Sphere Federation Council**

"Forty and a half million civilians are dead." Supreme Commander Tomino reported to the assembly of generals, admirals, and other high ranked officers and officials in attendance. Several chairs were empty while others were occupied by holograms of those who could not be present in person. "One hundred and fifty thousand Federation personnel were incinerated in the blink of an eye. Tibet is in a state of emergency due to tectonic damage to the region and millions wounded or displaced. Every other nation on Earth is in a state of panic and they're putting all of the blame on me."

Something that got on Tomino's nerves significantly. In fact, Tomino still remembered verbally bitch-slapping the UN chairmen when they accused him negligence. Tomino went into great detail about how this incident was an unknown factor that no one could have prepared against and that moving the Federation's command staff to another classifed location was the only reason why Lhasa's destruction didn't leave the Federation headless.

That said, Tomino lamented that he didn't have Lhasa evacuated more quickly. If he had, less chairs at this council would be empty. Instead, all of those Federation personnel had been killed by a destructive force approaching 1000 gigatons of destructive force which created a massive 690 km blast radius that wasted much of the area. Lhasa was currently nothing but a wasteland dotted by a 60 kilometer crater; the Bhuta province had been devastated; A powerful shockwave had caused great damage to lives and infrastructure in Assam, Nagaland, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Tripur and Manipur; and committed relatively less devastation across half of Bangledesh, Nepal, the rest of Tibet and a significant part of South-West China.

"So can someone please explain to me what just happened?" Tomino waited for someone to break the silence that followed his question. Unsurprisingly, no one was brave, stupid or bold enough to speak first. "Who hit us? How did they hit us? What did they hit us with? Why couldn't we stop them? Can they do this again? When will they do this again? And where will they strike next?"

"All of our resources are being put towards answering your question Supreme Commander-"

"But you don't have an answer now. Do you Solomon?" Tomino looked right at Admiral Solomon whom paled and uncomfortably shifted his gaze away from the Supreme Commander. "Anyone else?"

"The skies above the planet have been analyzed to find trace amounts of element zero." Vice Admiral Maxwell Reed reported with surprise. "This compound is not native to the Sol System and is harmless unless acted upon by an electric current. However, first response units have made confidential surveys of survivors and determine that 20% of all survivors were irradiated with element zero during or after the Lhasa Bombing."

"It's not just the people, ground zero of the impact crater is filled with very active element zero. Or eezo as its called by the Covenant." Major General John D. Rico reported as a video of the crater was displayed to the meeting. In the video, a very deep crater was seen smoking with blue electric currents dancing back and forth through ground zero. "The compound reactions are expected to die off as energy is expended, but the ground there will remain unstable for no less than ten years."

"That's insane." Admiral Steven Hackett's hologram gasped in shock. "My scientists test and confirm that even the most dense eezo fallout should dissipate within 4 months. How can this energy remain erratic for ten years?"

"It's possible that another substance is acting along with the eezo and catalyzing its effects." Commodore Serin Osman answered. "However, further research will be required to confirm this hypothesis."

"Dr. Strangelove, you have a new project." Tomino said to the old and erratic doctor who deviously smiled at the Supreme Commander. "I'm sending Professor Gill, Dr. Kabuto, and Dr. Gilmore to help you test this hypothesis."

"Of course Commander...however..." Strangelove began with a small chuckle. "I must ask why you assign cybernetic and biological engineers to my disposal? Perhaps for another purpose?"

"I know their strengths and yours. Between the four of you, you should be able to find out what's happening in Lhasa." Tomino answered firmly. "If you require other resources or personnel, then they will be provided."

"Of course. Though...it's clear as to who is responsible." Strangelove commented, smirking as he looked from face to face. "Who hit us? Why couldn't we stop them? Those are very simple questions child! Who else other than Zeon would strike us! Huh?"

"Preposterious!" Captain Del Rio of the Minor Mouse objected. "If Zeon had the capacity to hit us with such a weapon before, why didn't they do so until now?"

"That comes down to one of two possibilities." Field Marshal Paul Noventa deduced. "One, they couldn't and two, they wouldn't. And since they have no reason not to, I'd assume that whatever Zeon has struck us with is a new weapon."

"Which means that the attack on Lhasa...was a test..." Admiral Freemont realized, his unstable hologram fading in and out of view due to a low signal. "And we still don't know what they hit us with while they can hit us again at anytime and we can't stop them..."

"If they can hit us again then why haven't they?"

"Why should they?" Vice Admiral Ibanez answered Colonel Holland. "They just wiped out our HQ and a good many officers and support staff whom cannot be replaced anytime soon. They'll hit us again with their boom stick when they damn well want to. The only thing we can do now is find out what this weapon is and stop it before more millions die!"

"That's not all we can do." General Buck Scott joined in, the rest of the council looking upon the man to see what he had to say. "I have just a few points if you don't mind, Commander."

"Go ahead General Scott." Tomino said with an amused stare. "Speak your mind."

"One; Zeon has acquired destructive capabilities that branch into biological, chemical and nuclear warfare unlike any that we have seen before." Scott enthusiastically began. "Two; we have no way of ascertaining as to whether or not Zeon can repeat such an attack again. Three; the Sides still house a strong percentage of their population whom either support Zeon, retain strong anti-Federation resentment, or harness spacenoid superiority ideologies which could align them with Zeon. Four; With our losses to the Sol Armada and the Colonial Armada being focused upon the outer colonies, it is highly likely that the sides will choose to openly side with Zeon. Five; If at that time, we have not made necessary precautions and taken essential actions against such a possibility, we will be caught in a war within the Earth Sphere which will further decrease our ability to destroy Zeon. Six; It is likely that Zeon is aware of this possibility and already has multiple spies and agents in place to rile the people against the Federation. Seven; if this sequence of events continues as I have outlined, the Federation will be vulnerable to assault by Zeon's Triumvirate and they will slaughter us with our pants down."

While some officers nervously whispered and murmured to one another, Tomino was more humored by Scott's analysis. "Then what do you propose in response to this threat?"

Scott nervously smirked and brought out a black folder. "Now...this may not be the most popular or politically correct solution. But it seems to me that until Zeon is defeated, the Sides must be secured against terrorist fermentation and growth. With that in mind, I propose that we send five Federation Divisions to patrol and monitor the Sides under Martial Law. We can then search out and find every dissenter within the colonies before their poisonous ideologies can take root. And in the event that an entire colony is found to be harboring or supporting Zeon agents, the colony will be placed under military lock-down. Resistance to this lock down will authorize the usage of deadly force which will also deter other hidden sympathizers from joining Zeon."

"That sounds like a recipe to increase support for Zeon." Noventa pointed out. "We cannot let paranoia allow us to antagonize and oppress the colonials for something that they might do. We tried that before with the Titans and look what happened General. No, we ought not turn Char's Triumvirate into a Quadrumvirate. Despite anti-Federation sentiments, relations with the Sides are well on their way to repair. Your proposal would undo five years of persistent diplomatic action."

"Diplomacy dies when guns are drawn, Field Marshal." Scott countered, agitated by Noventa's argument. "This is a bloody precaution sir. A proactive stance which could escalate tensions and lead to violence. I won't sugarcoat things...thousands could die and if things get bad enough...millions could die. But that's still a better result than having tens of millions or hundreds of millions die! In one single stroke, Zeon killed 40 million people and couple this with the events of Zeon's latest military assault, the Federation is bleeding and blood attracts sharks! The sharks in the Sides are getting off on the smell of our wounds and they're pumping themselves up to clobber us! They see a future opportunity to hurt us and bring about Spacenoid dominance over Terrans. If we let them set themselves up, they will pounce and after they pounce, Char will pounce on us again and this time even the Unicorn won't be able to save us! So the way I see it Field Marshal, we have two terrible and bloody paths which are set before the Federation. One where tens and hundreds of millions die upon a Spacenoid uprising, clearing the way for the Triumvirate's victory! The other where we bite the bullet and perform a lesser evil for greater good where thousands...might...die and maybe even millions...but that's only a possibility! And that's still less lives lost, so who can complain?"

"Go take your meds Buck." Rogard laughed out loud, clearing up some of the tension in the room. "We won't create more enemies in our backyard by making Joseph Stalin look like a Boy Scout."

Scott nervously chuckled. "As you say, Field Marshal. But I warn you sir, if the colonials do jump on our wounds, then don't look to me because I warned you. And all the deaths that occur from that uprising will be your shoulders, not mine! Cause I'm not a pussy whose afraid to do his job because he doesn't wanna hurt someone else's feelings-"

"I've heard quite enough from you, General." Tomino declared with Scott daring not to challenge him.

General Heathrow snapped a pen and slammed his hand on the table. "Excuse me gentlemen...but last I checked, we'd just whipped the Triumvirate's ass! Is our security so lacking that they could smuggle a bomb onto the planet?"

"I hope you're not pointing fingers General." Brigadier General Mark Septum stated. "Security was on the highest level of alert after Zeon's last assault. Besides, there's no proof to indicate that any detonation took place in Lhasa."

"So I'm just imagining the big fireball that consumed Lhasa?" Heathrow sarcastically asked as he rounded on Septum. "Unless you'd...like to infer that Zeon shot out us with a really big gun? Now that's just not possible-"

"Why not?" The officers turned as three very recognizable figures entered the assembly. "You're talking about an organization who frequently throw rocks at us. Is it far-fetched to think that they built a space gun and just tested it on us? Especially with Covenant assistance? Underestimating Zeon is the worst thing that we can possibly do, gentlemen."

"Commodore Bright Noah, Captain Amuro Ray, and Major Sayla Mass." Tomino said as the Londo Bell Operatives saluted. "Glad you could all make it. Take a seat, this is going to be a long meeting."

"Um...sir..." Scott started, looking right at Sayla as she sat at the round table. "Do you realize that you've invited a commandant officer into the War Room? To...sit with the Top officials of the Earth Federation?"

Tomino stared at Scott without emotion. "Yes, General. I am aware of this."

"Do you recall that only flag officers are allowed to participate in the Admirality?" Scott fumbled through his papers, quickly trying to hide all of his doodles and notes from the newcomers. "Now...Commodore Bright I can understand and maybe even Captain Ray considering his promotion's long overdue...but...you are aware of Sayla's connection to Char? She is Char's sister after all..."

"Correct, I am aware of this." Tomino blunted. "Is there a problem?"

"A problem? Is there a problem?" Tomino snatched his playboy magazine from the table and stuffed it in his jacket before pointing to the intel upon the screen. "She'll...she'll see everything...She'll see all of our fleets! Our armies...our units...She'll see everything on the big board!"

"It is a big board, sir." Sayla quipped casually.

"She's only a Grade 3 Major...she doesn't belong here! She shouldn't be sitting at the table! The table belongs to the top brass!" Scott continued. "What gives her the right to sit with the Top Brass at the Round Table and look at everything that's on the screen and the big board!"

"Arcadia, General." Tomino mused with Scott about to counter, but stopped upon further thought. "In any case, Major Mass possesses knowledge concerning the Triumvirate's leader and therefore, I felt it appropriate for her to be present despite her low rank."

"So tell us Major Mass." Admiral Meru began. "What is the motivation behind your brother's attack on Lhasa? And if he could've done this before then why didn't he?"

"Because he didn't want to Admiral." Sayla answered and stood as she addressed the Admirality. "My brother is a precise attacker who prefers minimizing his own losses in any occasion. Casval only committed forces to the battle above Earth to screen against any resistance against his colony drop. But when that failed, he was forced to use this new weapon to even the scales. Whatever this weapon is, Char used it to staunch the momentum which the Federation gained from our recent victory. He wants to demoralize us and make us afraid of the unknown to buy himself more time before he makes his next strike. All while working towards his true goal."

"What goal is that?"

"He wants to force humanity into the stars." Sayla replied to the gasps of her superiors. "Char has always been an adherent of my father's contolism idelogy also known as Ere-ism. They both believed that humanity is destined to leave the Earth and make a new home in space where they'll evolve mentally and spiritually while Earth returns to its natural state. But unlike my father who wished for a gradual migration, Char believes that the only way to achieve Contolism's dream is to force the people of Earth to leave the planet...or destroy them entirely."

"Incredible...horrible, but..." Grand Admiral Hood shook as he grasped the magnitude of Char's ambitions. "How could Char decide to commit such an action Sayla? Why does he believe that humanity must die to achieve his dream?"

"He doesn't want humanity to die, he just wants the corrupt filth to be cleansed." Amuro joined in. "He believes that Earth society is reaching an inherent dead end and that the people within it are inherently wasteful and toxic. He points to our pollution, warmongering, greed, discord and so on as signs that Earth requires a clean slate and he's not asking us whether we'd like to be wiped off the map. So for him, killing the people of Earth is necessary to save humanity from itself."

"And how exactly do you know this?"

"He told me his beliefs the last time that we met." Half of the room deadpanned Amuro as he paused and cleared his throat. "At the time, Char had no pending warrants for his arrest and thus I had no reason to arrest or apprehend him. Besides, we were allies of a sort against the Princess Mineva Lao Zabi."

"I see...the two of you teamed up against a common enemy." Scott commented. "Understandable. After all, 2 is better than 1. You get to save the world and Char gets to complete his revenge on the Zabi family. Though, you were the one who killed her, but he was probably satisfied from watching her die, right?"

"General, that's not relevant to this situation." Amuro sharply countered. "My point is that Char believes that humanity is sick and that he's the cure. And he's dedicated to curing us, even if it means hacking off limbs and forcing his medicine down our throats."

"An odd way of administering medicine, don't you think?" Another newcomer added as he made his presence known. The Admirality looked with shock and fury at the brown-haired and blue-eyed Japanese man wearing a Black trench-coat over his Officer's uniform. "I would have arrived earlier but...I didn't want to..."

"General Yanzaki..." The Commander eyed the newcomer with caution and distrust. "Take a seat, Kenjiro."

"Certainly, Supreme Commander." The General saluted before he strolled to a seat and sat. He looked over to where a puzzled Amuro looked upon Yanzaki. "Well? Continue..."

"Uh...right!" Amuro found his bearings and continued his briefing. "Lhasa was a test, a warning to see if Char's new toy can fulfill his goals. But I don't know if this secret weapon is a giant gun or some other Covenant device. We won't be able to know about that until further analysis and intelligence is gathered-"

"Beat you to it!" Yanzaki abrasively announced, earning the ire of his fellow admirals and generals. "What? Why waste time with further intel when we only have 40 days until Char turns his secret weapon on Earth again."

"What?" Kota asked in shock. "Explain yourself! How the hell do you know about that?"

"I know people." Yanzaki responded. "And these people know other people. It's like the pay-it-forward nonsense, except everyone pays me and I give out nothing. And these friends of my friends are aware of a discovery which the Triumvirate made about 5 months ago. I believe that this discovery is directly related to the attack on Lhasa and Char will try again with bigger ammunition in 40 days."

"Go on General." Tomino waited with a neutral glare. "What is Char's secret weapon? What is he going to use to purge the filth?"

"It would be more effective to show you rather than tell you." Yanzaki stood up and snapped his fingers. Instantly, multiple screens began to display a massive station out in the middle of space.

"A Mass Relay..." Amuro recognized the repeating video feed. Sayla had been exploring the ruins of the civilization who are said to have created these massive devices. In the last safari to Europa, Amuro had found ancient carvings and murals which described the relays as the "Gateway unto the Stars". The nameless civilization who created the Relays used them to explore and settle the galaxy and then left them behind for other sentient species to advance their technology and knowledge. Exactly how long ago this civilization existed is unknown, only that it was destroyed in a devastating civil war that lasted many millennia and also predated the ancient Forerunner empire whom the Covenant worship as gods.

A stunned Bright turned to Amuro. "You know what this is?"

"This is what I was studying on Europa." Amuro explained Bright and turned to the interested and Major Mass went on a few archeological searches and found murals about these "Star Gates. Consisting of two 15 kilometer arms binding a set of revolving rings, the relays contain a massive core of energy believed to be eezio. According to the ruins, these relays are the earliest means of hyperspace travel across the galaxy and were used as the basis for technological advancement-"

"That's all very interesting, but somewhat irrelevant." Amuro was really starting to hate this arrogant punk. "Besides, some of the gentlemen present already know about Relays. We have one relay here in the Sol System, even if it hasn't been fully operational for a very long time."

"Information about the Charon Relay is classified above your rank, General." The Grand Admiral asserted. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't have you arrested and put on trial for breach of security?"

"Arrest me and you can kiss your only hope of saving the Earth good-bye." Yanzaki boosted and the Commander motioned for the Grand Admiral to stand down. "Also, it was the Supreme Commander who authorized me to research the Charon Relay when I convinced him to let me test my theory."

"Theory?" Scott muttered in disbelief. "So...you knew that Char had a giant hyperspace engine at his disposal and you decided not to warn us about it till it was too late?"

"Precisely." Kenjiro smiled as Scott gathered all of his willpower to keep from leaping at his fellow general. "Also, it was a theory at the time. I needed more information before I could come before all of you as I have now. That would also buy me the necessary time to ascertain the appropriate means with which to stop this machine. And...here I am...with a plan."

"Alright, lets here it." Admiral Iga sat back as Yanzaki basked in the apparent control he had over this conversation. "How do we blow up the relay?"

"We can't sir." Sayla answered. "In all of the research I have conducted, there has only been one recorded instance where a mass relay has ever been destroyed."

Scott blinked in confusion. "There's a contradiction there-"

"It may sound like it, but my research ascertains that the so-called Alpha Relay was destroyed by special circumstances which remain unclear. An outlier that cannot be relied upon." Yanzaki stated. "Otherwise, the relays have been bombarded by enemies of their creators, hijacked and some even experienced supernova level catastrophies, but the relays themselves remained completely intact. Which is great because blowing up the relay wasn't my plan."

"Then what is your plan sir?" Amuro's patience for the general was wearing thin. He felt himself almost choking from the sheer density of this man's ego. "And how exactly is Char using this Relay as a weapon? According to my research, a relay can only transfer objects to another relay-"

"Your research is wrong." Kenjiro stated and brought everyone's attention to the relay on screen. "The relay you are looking upon is called the Taetrus Relay. A research and development team came upon it three years ago and conducted multiple tests to determine the relay's capabilities. During these tests, the team concluded that a Relay could indeed send an object to a system that does not have a relay present...if the objects size, density and mass are pre-programmed into the Relay's guidance programs and if the galactic destination of the orbit is entered into the Relay's targeting system."

"As you can see here..." As the meeting watched, a lone GM was charged with blue energy and then shifted into nothingness as the Relay sent it across the stars. On another screen, the GM impacted into an asteroid causing the asteroid break apart and destroy other asteroids around it. "Naturally, the process is meant for ships capable of standalone speed control and navigation capabilities independent of the Relay. But testing demonstrates that a sufficiently hacked Relay could operate outside of normal parameters."

"That's strange, didn't Zeon bring an asteroid out of hyperspace..." General Rico inquired. "Why would Zeon need the Mass Relay for something that they can already do on their own."

"5th Luna's jump was a short-jump through slip-space." Amuro admitted. "One system to another adjacent system and it was done indirectly through the other ships in the Triumvirates fleet. The Mass Relay cuts out the middle-man and directly sends its target to the destined system."

"Precisely, captain. But this unorthodox method is a boon for us." Yanzaki stated as he continued. "Normally, relay coordinates are set in stone and thus its no problem to fly from relay to relay as long as the relay on the other side is sufficiently powered. But relay-to-planet or relay-to-system travel has its problems. For one, the galaxy is in constant rotation around the galactic core and each system is constantly orbiting around its star and several planets have their own orbital rotations with satellites and moons. Which means that everything has to line up perfectly for the object to hit exactly where its meant to hit."

"But that's not why Char has to wait 40 days to hit Earth." Yanzaki stated. "Fortunately, the ammunition that he needs to cleanse Earth is too unstable to be able to be transferred through hyperspace. So his forces must take the object to the Relay manually which has its own risk of delays and interceptions by the Colonial Armada; Pirate Fleets; or Covenant forces disloyal to the Kaidon or the Prophet of Dominion."

"Which Relay is Char using?" Sayla asked.

Yanzaki paused for a moment before he answered. "The Mu Relay."

Sayla gasped and grimaced. "Damn it!"

"Major? What's wrong?" The Supreme Commander inquired. "Do you know where the Mu Relay is?"

"Its not a matter of where it is...its getting there...sir..." Sayla answered as a galactic map appeared above the meeting table. "The Relay is an ancient novelty...its not only still active, but could connect to multiple relays at once. It's original position is unknown, but we do know that it was pushed from that position by a supernova. The ancients recorded that the Mu Star Gate settled into the Pangea Expanse...a remote star cluster with only 3 planets in total..."

"And it's situated right next to the galactic core." Admiral Hackett cursed for the same reason that Amuro gripped his fist. Every single vessel that has tried to explore the galactic core or got too close to it has been destroyed. The gravitational well of the core is so great that entire stars have been observed to break apart and get sucked into the Core with nothing left. Some theorize that there is a massive black hole within the Core, but no one has ever gotten close enough to see that for themselves.

"So what's the problem?" General Scott asked to the surprise of the other officers. "What? We know where the bastards are, let's go get them!"

"It's not that simple general."

"Looks simple enough to me-"

"Then go back to science 101." Amuro shouted at the indifferent General. "With all due respect, you fail to understand the gravity of the inherent danger with traveling remotely close to the galactic core, general. It is a gravitational death-trap from which there is NO escape! It's a miracle that Char found the Mu Relay and found a safe passage...because the odds of doing so should be impossible! The only reason that the Pangea Expanse is intact is because its own gravity field is strong enough to not get sucked in any further and who knows if that will even last another thousand years?"

"I'll admit Captain, Science was not my best field." General Scott admitted. "So no, I don't quite understand why we can't get to the Mu Relay."

Amuro exhaled and calmed himself. "General...its a no-go zone in every sense of the word. It means that Char is free to hit us and there's nothing we can do to stop him without killing ourselves in the process. Even if General Yanzaki's plan was sound enough to stop the Relay from destroying all life on Earth, it's useless because we can't get to the Relay."

"What if we could?" Yanzaki poured himself a cup of wine before he continued. "What if I told you that there is a way past the Galactic Core? Would that make my plan obsolete?"

"Sir? How would you do that?"

"It's all part of my plan." Yanzaki stated and sipped from his wine. "As soon as I realized that Char might use a Relay against us, I prepared a contingency to be enacted against him. And since I always prepare for the worst, I assumed that Char would use a relay that would be the most difficult to reach. That way if I'm wrong, at least I'd be better prepared and if I'm right...well...I'm right."

The room grew silent as all eyes turned to the Supreme Commander. "What is your plan?"

* * *

 **Federation HQ Lounge**

"That fucker is insane!"

"Decorum, captain." Bright chided Amuro as he paced back and forth in the lounge hall. Sayla sat nearby watching Amuro with concern. "You were going to go after Char anyway."

"True...but..." Amuro grimaced in frustration. "I just hate that man!"

"So do I." Bright admitted. "Not to mention he's playing us all to advance himself. He's so obvious about it because he knows we can't stop him."

"And he's using us as pawns for his game!" Amuro shouted. "Why the hell does he need me when he's got his own corps to toy with?"

"Marketing." Sayla bitterly replied. "Not only does he get more power and influence, but he also gets credit as the man supplied the heroes. Enough to campaign a future bid for Supreme Commander...who better than the heroes of Londo Bell and Amuro Ray?"

Amuro growled and stared at a nearby wall. As Sayla stood up to calm him down, Bright stretched his arms above his head. "I understand your concern Amuro and I don't like it anymore than you do. But we can't stop Char on our own...we need help and Yanzaki's plan seems sound to me."

"It's a sound plan...its just..." Amuro inhaled, flinching when Sayla began to massage his back. "He's throwing everything on us like we're going to pull a miracle out of our asses and save the day. He's taking us for granted and hugely overestimating our capabilities."

"To be fair, our careers started with a miracle-"

"But we've only gotten this far because we had a good team." Amuro continued. "If we're the best in the Federation then that's only because we've worked with the best. Yanzaki's an idiot if he thinks Londo Bell can handle this mission on our own."

"That's precisely why I've been scouting for help." The group turned to see Yanzaki shamelessly glowering over a naughty picture of a cute black-haired girl in a skimpy bikini. "Don't mind me! It's just that I miss the touch of my precious Kiyomi and this photo tithes me over...barely..."

"Cute...you're not such a heartless bastard after all." Sayla remarked to one of the richest and most powerful men in the Earth's Sphere. "So about this help...what did you have in mind, general?"

"Names." Yanzaki produced a great folder from his jacket and handed it to Bright. "The best of the best of the Federation's active, inactive and retired personnel both commissioned and enlisted. Including those who are incarcerated or committed to an institution. They're all at your disposal."

"Our disposal?" Amuro's disbelief couldn't get any larger. "So it's completely up to us as to who we bring with us and who we don't?"

"The Supreme Commander gave me that impression...or he was still livid about how I'm nailing his daughter." Yanzaki laughed. "Not sure why he gets to be mad, he did ditch the poor girl on the streets of Calcutta...he's not exactly entitled to being angry that Kiyomi fell in love with me. Or that I fucked the girl cross-eyed and she loved it so much she begged for more and is gonna have my son soon-"

"Too much information, general." Bright said with annoyance as Yanzaki shrugged un-apologetically. "As for all that stuff you said in the meeting. Is it all true or is some of it bullshit?"

"No...I may be a shameless, self-righteous, arrogant and egotistical bastard, but I know my details to the letter." Yanzaki assured with a flare of confidence. "My development corps is among the best in the Federation. If you give me the manpower and the talent, I'll give you the weapons, ships, mobile suits and supplies to make your magic possible."

"Including all of the intel that you've gathered on the Triumvirate?"

"Intel so in-depth that you'll know whose cheating on their spouses and touching little children in ways that they shouldn't be touched." Yanzaki replied to Sayla's disgust. "To be fair, your brother weeded out all of the known child-rapists...the only ones who he hasn't caught are the really discreet and subtle ones. Feel free to castrate, murder or bitch-slap them as you please."

"With pleasure." Sayla replied with focus. "And we'll have full mission autonomy?"

"As in...I won't screw you up for any of my own ambitions?" Yanzaki asked and received three glares. "One of the lessons that my wise alcoholic father taught me was that you never get in someone's way when they're doing a good job. And I'm confident that you'll do a great job, so why get in your way?"

"What if you're wrong?"

"Then Char wins and humanity is fucked." Yanzaki replied without care. "At least no one can say I didn't try to stop it."

Amuro looked to Sayla and Bright and then back to the General. "Fine...we'll be your champions...how long until we can launch?"

"I'll need 24 days...maybe less..."

"You want us to prepare a small fleet to be ready for combat in 24 days?" Amuro asked in exasperation. "Most of the people on your list haven't seen combat in years! Do you know how much training they'll need to be acclimated to the changes in combat since their tours of duty? Some of these people haven't been in a mobile suit since the One-Year War!"

"I do have a simple solution to that...but first you need to bring me the chumps." Yanzaki replied. "And of course, if your team is judged to be unsatisfactory then I'll be happy to lend you one of my battalions-"

Bright slapped his hand on Yanzaki's shoulder, shocking the man enough to wipe that smile off of his face. "Kenjiro...you underestimate me...I'm the man who turned a whiny bitch into the best ace that the Federation has ever seen."

Amuro shrugged. "He's right...I was a bitch..."

"And have you ever heard the saying...'Once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget it?'" Bright inquired to the listening General. "Surprisingly, the same principle applies for mobile suits."

* * *

 **An Hour after Lunch Break**

"Damn it all! When you meet him then tell him that Amuro Ray is looking for him." Amuro slammed down the phone in exasperation. "Worst part about leave? Everyone scatters to the four corners. Does Nigel even have his own home?"

"He drifted from rented home to rented home." Sayla replied while looking over the Tri-Star squad leader's file. "And he's recently made a hefty purchase..."

 **xx**

"Mercy Star here, yeah I ordered the pizza." Nigel replied from aboard his newly purchased private life-ship. He'd spent 4 years saving up for the ultimate mobile home and still had boxes piled up to fill half of his storage compartment. "Fine! I'll go for the 3 for 1 deal! But it all better be fresh or else! I have my own gundam you know!"

Nigel laughed when he hung up. The gundam line was always a kicker that kept him laughing even as he answered his ringing phone. "Yeah? Nigel speaking-"

"Lieutenant Garrett, you are to report to the following coordinates within 72 hours." Nigel grimaced, knowing that this monotone voice came from one source. "Do you copy?"

"Loud and clear Overlord..." Nigel slammed his fist on the console and unknowingly turned off the artificial gravity. "Gives me a day to work out this ship's kinks."

 **xx**

"It's unpopular, but I understand why Americans keep their inactive servicemen in-state with their base." Bright commented as he looked over another Londo Bell Operative. "At least Kayru's already accounted for..."

 **xx**

"Amuro! You ungrateful bastard!" Kayra heard her lover protest as he beat out one of many dents in the badly damaged Re-Gz's alloy. "He snags my prototype, customizes it with equipment that its not meant to have and expects me repair the damage he let it take? Judau was more considerate!"

"Hon! Don't push yourself too hard!" Kayra shouted and felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. "Gotta take this call...Hello? Commodore? I see...I'll be there soon."

"At least I got the power stabilized!" Astonaige cheered and looked down at Kayra. "What's up?"

"All hands on deck." Kayra answered and looked up at the mobile suit Amuro had given her. "We're taking this bad boy with us."

 **xx**

"So if we're reactivating all hands on Londo Bell then why outsource to mercenaries?" Sayla inquired and saw a name that caught her interest. "Who the hell is Lowe Guele?"

"A friend of Kamille's, I met him during the first Neo-Zeon War." Amuro explained. "He's pretty laidback, but he's not called the best mechanic in the Junk Guild for nothing. Nor is all of that ability just for show..."

 **xx**

"Alright! Let her rip Cloud!" Lowe cried out to the blond spiky haired fluke running the freighter that they'd finished repairing. When Cloud hit the ignition, the thrust exhaust of the ship flared with smoke and then the ship died as green fluid blasted out of the exhaust tubes. "No! You were supposed to remove the capacitor you idiot!"

"Sorry..." Cloud shook his hair and then looked out and jumped out of the hatch. "We need to ditch! We've got company!"

"Nice try. I'm not falling for that again." Lowe was too mad about the millions of dollars wasted by this fluke's mistake. But he looked where Cloud pointed to see a line of Federation officials looking upon him. "Oh, it wasn't a trick."

"Lowe Guele?" Their apparent leader asked as Cloud pointed to Lowe. "You're coming with us."

"What if I don't wanna?"

"We're armed."

"You make a very fantastic point."

 **xx**

"Sir!" A communications officer reported. "Sighted the Immortal Brigade!"

"Ex-titans turned into guns for hire." Amuro read off and looked through each individual profile. "Bernard Monsha, Chuck Keith, Chap Adel, Alpha A. Bate, Papa Doc and Bandit Bear. Monsha and his wing-mates Bate and Adel served in the 4th MS Team under Lieutenant South Burning during the One-Year War. They were thrown into heated contests, but never lost a single member or convoy. That's how they got the name "Immortal Brigade.""

"Do they have the skill to back up that name?"

"It gets better." Amuro answered a curious Sayla. "During the Gryps Conflict, Monsha and his comrades along with Doc and Bear were pursued by the Titans 23rd Eos Division. The whole Division has been officially considered MIA ever since..."

Bright smirked. "Bring them in."

 **xx**

"That's them?" The Federation enforcer said to his partner, looking upon a group of drunk idiots prattling about like a flock of drunken sailors. "Are you sure that's them?"

Keith was salivating on a lone poster of a famous stripper while singing. _"What do I do when my love is away?"_

 _"Does it worry you to be alone?"_ His drunk buddies joined in an oddly decent chorus.

Chap jumped onto a table holding a broken trophy in his scared hand. _"How do I feel by the end of the day?"_

 _"Are you sad because you're on your own?"_ The other drunk folk in the bar asked in a loud chorus.

 _"No!"_ Monsha got right up on the table next to Chap and threw a bottle into the ceiling. _"I get by with a little help from my friends!"_

 _"Mm..I get high with a little help from my friends!"_ Keith added as he joined his friends on the table.

 _"Mm...gonna try with a little help from my friends!"_ The rest of the brigade declared in song, completing the set on the table and dancing haphazardly as they slurred and made up words. Because they were too drunk to remember the rest of the famous Beatles song.

"Talk about the wrong stuff." The enforcer remarked, more than entertained by these drifters. "Oh well...orders are orders..."

 **xx**

"What about Judau?"

"That's the easiest catch." Sayla remarked. "Leina's graduating from Europa's Zeta University this week."

"Wow...already graduating from college at her age?" An impressed Amuro chuckled happily. "I can imagine Judau's reaction."

 **xx**

"Magna Cum Laude, Leina Nichole Ashta!" The sixteen year old nervously stepped up to the podium and received her diploma amidst the cheer of thousands of spectators.

Judau was too overwhelmed to cheer. "My baby sister..." Some looked on the whimpering and tearful man like he was a pansy. But he could care less. Leina waved at her big brother and he waved back, wishing only that his mother could have been there to see them.

As for their father? Screw him.

"You must be very happy." A man in uniform replied next to Judau. "My name's Larison and I represent the Earth Federation-"

"Don't care, sister's graduating." Judau quickly replied, looking upon his sister who had decorated her hat with a odd, but thoughtful gift from an absent Puru.

"The fate of the Earth is at stake-"

"Don't care, don't live there."

"You're coming with me-"

"No I'm not, I'm enjoying my sister's graduation." Judau firmly answered. "After that, I'm going to the graduation party and eating lots of delicious cake. Wanna join? There's going to be cinnamon cake!"

Realizing that he wasn't going to win this fight, Larison rolled his eyes. "Cake sounds lovely."

 **xx**

"And Puru?"

"Hates big crowds." Sayla replied. "And after what happened in the last fight, she's probably taking some alone time."

"For what?"

"Centering herself." Sayla answered. _"All three of herself."_

 **xx**

"Little girl, I need you to-"

"Go away." Puru warned, still seated in a meditative stance. Practically ignoring the Federation agent who'd arrived at the clinic to find her.

"Little girl, this is an order-"

"I don't work for you."

"Elpeo Puru, if you do not come with me-" Then Puru just glared at the man. Such was the terror and unstated hatred of this girl's face that the agent shook his head and just walked away.

"Huh? Judau's going to Earth soon?" Puru said to herself and jumped to her feet in excitement. "I'll just go there ahead of him and surprise him!"

"Puru! Puru! Puru!" Five moments later, the agent watched in utter confusion as Puru ran out of the clinic uttering her name over and over again.

"Well...at least I did my job..." The agent would have chased after Puru, but he was scared of her.

 **xx**

"As much as I hate to admit it...but we need Kai." Amuro admitted. "I still can't believe he took down a Zeon Magna Musai by himself with a leo. He hadn't been in a mobile suit for years."

"He kept his skills sharp with that gunpla thing-" Bright heard Amuro grumble under his breath. "What? You should try it sometime. It's-"

"Marketing what we do as a game for children." Amuro replied in disgust. "Gunpla or not, if Kai can still pull stunts like that in retirement, he deserves another chance to shape up."

"Wait...why didn't he come with us?" Sayla asked and already figured out the answer. "How many speeding tickets does he have now?"

 **xx**

"You've gotta fight!" Kai shouted as he sped down High 70 while being chased by no less than fifty police cars. "For your Right! TO PARTY!"

"Sir! Pull over your vehicle!" A Helicopter pilot shouted down to Kai's Road Warrior Custom Car. "This is your last warning!"

"You said that an hour ago pigs!" Kai roared back and then he realized one important problem.

He was running out of gas...and speed.

"Should've gone with Bright when I had the chance..." Kai lamented and was brought to an abrupt halt when a mobile suit stomped on the roof of his car. "NO! LEAVE MIHARU ALONE!"

"Kai Shidan, you're coming into Federation custody or Miharu gets it!" The Jegan pointed its rifle at the car to prove its point.

"Hey! He's our man!" A cop protested and then quickly balked and gave up when the Jegan looked at him and the rest of his fellow officers. "You can have him..."

Kai smirked. "Thanks for having my back, Bright."

 **xx**

"Yuu Kajima?"

"Already on his way." Bright answered and looked over another file. "This is one of Yanzaki's picks, but I've never heard of him."

"Shiro Amada, 2nd lieutenant of the Kojima Division listed as MIA after Southeast Asia was liberated from Zeon." Amuro explained. "There was also a pending inquiry on this guy for the charge of treason and consorting with the enemy."

"You mean Aina?" Sayla remarked happily. "The latter part is true depending on your point of view. But the treason part is false...unless desertion counts as treason."

"You've had contact with Amada?"

"The Sahalins were friends with my foster father." Sayla admitted. "But if you want to drag Shiro back then that's gonna be an uphill fight. He's got nine mouths to feed-"

"NINE?"

Sayla nodded to the two shocked men. "And last I heard, they're expecting a tenth anytime soon."

 **xx**

"Daddy and Mommy are home!" Little Sakura cheered as her parents opened the front door. "Mommy! Daddy!" She happily ran over and latched her arms around her mother's legs with her father patting her on the head.

"Daddy! Mommy!" Sitachi and Satoshi cried out as one and also hugged their parents legs. They looked at the bundle in their mother's arms and beamed in delight. "Is that our new brother?"

"His name is Saruto Norris." Aina said as the boys cheered and little Sakura pouted in slight disappointment. Soon after, the other kids all cheered and embraced their parents. Little Ayumi; Shino; Kurono; Hanata and their oldest daughter, Niata were quick to welcome their new brother.

"Commander!" Michael shouted and walked up to give his best friend a pat on the back. "Congratulations you two!"

"Thanks." Shiro remarked as he picked up 4-year old Ayumi and set her on his shoulder. "Where's Akira? Out with his new girlfriend?"

"Actually he's behind you." Michael pointed and Shiro looked to see his white haired firstborn smiling upon his newborn brother and happy mother.

"Mother...Father..." Akira pecked his mother on the cheek and carefully took his baby brother into his own arms. "Baby brother...more like Big Baby Brother..."

"That's not funny, he was really heavy." Aina commented as she saw the family phone ring. "Huh...that must be Terry or Karen."

"Or Eleanor...or even Kiki...wonder how she's enjoying Nepal right now." Shiro laughed and answered the phone. "Hello? Yes, this is Shiro Amada...Can you say that again?"

 **xx**

"The mercenary?"

"Gai Murakumo, leader of the Serpent Tail mercenaries." Amuro reported. "Former Federation officer whose assignment and division is classified. Whatever happened, he killed everyone who pursued him and formed his own company. He uses equipment from multiple factions and works for the highest bidder."

"So why the hell should we trust him?"

"I don't know where Yanzaki gets his money...but the amount the general is offering is enough to buy a small country." Bright answered Sayla. "And that's just half of the full fee..."

 **xx**

"Well enjoy Jaburo." Murakumo mused to his captive as he turned him over to the Oni agents who'd hired him. As the ex-spartan deserter was hauled away, Gai smiled as a briefcase filled with 100,000 credits worth of gold was handed to him. "Always a pleasure."

"Indeed." Agent Smith replied and put a finger on his earpiece. His eyebrow raised and then he looked at Gai with his sunglass covered eyes. "It appears as though there is another offer which would interest you."

Gai rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm flattered but if I take all of the jobs in the galaxy then there won't be any work without competition-"

"The client is General Yanzaki." Smith smiled as dollar signs appeared in Murakumo's eyes. "Will you at least hear his offer?"

Gai smiled a very toothy smile. "Well, I am interested."

 **xx**

"Louka?"

"She'll be late, but count her in." Sayla said without second thought. "Killing Toto has its merits after all."

 **xx**

"This really wasn't meant for light-speed travel-"

"Then try and stop me!" Roux declared before closing the hatch to her custom Zeta gundam. Having heard that Amuro Ray was calling for support, Louka wasn't going to miss the next battle and let Judau get all of the fun like he just did recently. "I'M NOT MISSING THIS PARTY!" The Waverider flew out of the space station orbiting Jupiter and latched onto a light-speed docking ring before jumping into light speed.

 **xx**

"This guy?" Amuro shook his head and flipped it out of the pile. "Toss it."

Sayla caught the file and read it before addressing the Captain. "Amuro? The recommendations are made for a reason-"

"After his failure, Kou Uraki is lucky that he wasn't hanged." Amuro spat in disgust, having heard of this man's story many times from many sources in the past ten years. "If Yanzaki thinks I'll put my life in the hands of the Stardust Failure, then he can kiss my ass."

Sayla looked right into his eyes. "Don't you believe in second chances?"

Amuro wasn't about to budge however. "Aren't you the one who said not everyone deserves a second chance?"

"Well I say we ask him." Bright interjected, drinking a cup of tea given to him by Fraw. "I'm the commanding officer of this mission, remember? You're just the hero who gets all of the public attention. I've already sent my most diplomatic officer to check him out and ascertain his capabilities."

"What about Amada?" Sayla brought up. "With an active bounty for his head, Shiro will see our invitation as a trap. He needs to be assured that we're not gonna take him to a firing squad as soon as he reveals his location."

"I've already thought ahead of you." Bright said with an obvious flare. "I'm sending a deputized civilian to deal with Shiro and offer a full pardon."

"That just leaves..." Amuro looked on one of the key names in the many files that he'd looked through and softened his tired features. "Kamille."

"What the hell was the general thinking here?" Sayla inquired in surprise. "Kamille swore off fighting or any violence after the Gryps Conflict. Especially with that coma he was in, how can we be sure that he's as capable as he was before? Or that he'd ever want to work with the Federation again? The same Federation that killed his mother."

"We owe Kamille too much not to at least ask him." Bright declared with respect for the former AEUG hero. "Last I checked, he's working at a hospital-"

"At Pluto Luna." Amuro finished for Bright. "I'll talk to him...I owe him that much."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **The Tone Shifts of this chapter are pretty crazy.**

 **That was my point and also the point of the whole story, but still pretty telling after all is said and done. I don't think I've ever gone all over the board like this in such a frank and blunt manner before. Normally, I put in some kind of a transitional phase from one tone to another with past stories that I've written.**

 **That's probably because this is a much more "mature" and "adult" story than I usually write, so it's just inevitable. Note that I didn't say edgy or dark...even though there is some dark stuff here, at worst I'd say that there's more dark comedy than there is dark drama.**

 **Feel free to rip me apart about any scientific inaccuracies that I just invoked because much like General Scott, Science is not one of my strongest subjects.**

 **Another challenge in this chapter was the introduction of a key character in both this story and in the background of my other flagship story. If Kenjiro Yanzaki seems like a complete and utter asshole who you just want to smack in his face, then I've done my job exactly as I wanted to do it. Even later when there's some elements to the character that make him a bit more human and likable, I won't be surprised or mad if you still hate him, because that's kind of my intention. He's an antagonist without actually being an antagonist, though I can't remember the literary term for such a character. Even the term rival doesn't count since Yanzaki isn't competing with the heroes, rather he's using them because he knows that they won't have any other choice, but to let him do it.**

 **But enough rambling, stay tuned for the next chapter. That chapter's going to focus on some other key characters in this story and their own personal themes along with them. Then we can bring the whole gang together and send the suicide squad on their counter-charge.**

 **Later.**


	8. Act VII: The Forgotten Commander

**Unknown Valley in South-East Asia**

His son was so tiny.

Newborn Saruto Norris was so frail and delicate that his father held him as gently as possible. The infants eyes were closed, his little chest rising and falling with each breath as his father looked over him.

It was in these moments, that Shiro Amada felt whole.

Nine times before, he had held his children when they were infants. Each moment was just as enormous for the lucky man. It was a moment where Shiro realized the gravity of his responsibility. When he saw the life that he had created and that he was charged by God to care for and nurture.

And he wouldn't trade that responsibility for anything else.

He loved his children from the moment of their births.

Looking down on Saruto made Shiro sad, knowing that some infants in the world suffered horribly. Some were thrown in trashcans and left to die; some were destroyed in their mother's wombs by drugs, doctors or fate; some were murdered or mutilated because of cruel and senseless cultural practices; and others were disregarded to a life of meager living because of something beyond their control.

Little Norris wouldn't have the most luxurious life, but Shiro personally made sure that his son would not suffer as other children had.

"What are you doing with that knife?" Shiro remembered that sharp and precise knife in the pediatrician's hand. As a former soldier, knives outside of the kitchen put him in a state of guard. With his newborn son resting nearby, Shiro was prepared to kill.

"Oh sorry! It's a novelty from that American Movie, Friday the Thirteenth!" The doctor laughed and saw that Shiro wasn't joining in. "Oh...you thought I was gonna circumcise your son?"

"You touch my son with any knife, I'll touch with my own." Shiro thumbed on his sheathed army knife to emphasize his threat. "Got it?"

"Okay, we don't even do that crap over here." The doctor assured. "This isn't America! We won't mutilate your little boy!"

"I'm staying right here just to be safe." Shiro had to beat up too many American-trained pediatricians and doctors to trust any doctor blindly when it came to his children. "Will that be a problem?"

"I wish I'd stood up for my son like you are." The doctor sadly nodded. "Now I have to live on with the fact that...the last time we spoke over what I allowed to happen to him. I denied that I did anything wrong despite the facts he showed me and that just made him feel more hateful towards me...betrayed...and...after that, I never got the chance to repent...to say that I was wrong and sorry for making a choice that was never mine to make..."

"I'm really sorry..."

"At least you're not making my mistake." The doctor remarked, taking comfort that Shiro was standing up for his son's integrity. "Any of your other sons-"

"None of them." Akira had been delivered by Shiro himself with Niata, Hanata and his first twins, Kuruno and Shiro being delivered by Karen and Eledore. Sakura was delivered by Shiro as well and due to complications, Aina had to go to a local hospital to have Sitachi and Satoshi delivered. That's where Shiro had his first encounter with backwards medical practices from the so-called 1st World.

And 15 people nearly died before the superintendent put a stop to the undesired circumcision of Shiro's twin boys.

Ayumi was born at home with Michael delivering and Saruto was only born at a hospital because he was premature by 2 months.

Now he was home in a valley unmarked and uncared for by the wider world around them. And he would stay here for as long as he wanted until he was as strong as the man he was named after.

"How are you liking your new home, son?" Shiro looked down at the sleeping boy in his arms. Like his oldest brother had joked, Saruto was a large boy. Surprising considering that he was an early boy. Aina was still asleep with Shiro wanting her to get plenty of rest, hence why he'd been awake for the past 2 hours looking after his newborn son.

"For now, you'll be sharing space with mom and dad." Shiro didn't have any other choice. The house was already practically packed between ten children and seven adults. Akira and both sets of twins shared a room while Niata and the girls had their own room. The "Team" crowded down in the basement or the living room, though you wouldn't know that from how well they cleaned up after themselves in the morning.

Thirteen years had passed since the One Year War ended. But you wouldn't know that from looking at some of this team-mates. Michael, Kiki and Eledore looked almost the exact same as they did during the Kojima campaigns though they were in their thirties. Meanwhile Terry and Karen didn't look a day past thirty despite being 43 and 40 respectively. Shiro himself could pass for anywhere from 25 to 30 and Aina still looked 20 even after birthing ten children over the course of 13 years.

However, their souls felt twice as old.

Shiro and his team had experienced and seen terrible things during the War. They had seen acts of destruction and cruelty committed by both the Zeon invaders and the Federation that they served. And things only got worst in the following decade thanks to the Titans.

The Eight Mobile Suit team's hands weren't clean themselves.

"Commander." Shiro heard his walkie talkie whisper. Shiro quietly put it to his ear and heard Karen report. "Saw a herd of deer. Two birds flew into their nest. Lake was moved by wind. Felt a light tremor, not even a 2 pointer. Otherwise, all is quiet. Changing shifts with Terry. Permission to hit the sack?"

"Granted. Have a good rest Master Chief." Shiro responded and yawned at the same time that his bundle of joy did. He stood from his chair, careful not to lose balance due to the baby in his arms and walked through his house. He passed the girls room and heard Hanata yawn from inside. He moved on, listening intently as he heard soft foot steps coming from the boys room.

Shiro got out his gun.

He waited beside the door and watched as a young girl opened the door and walked out as stealthily as she could. Recognizing her and signing, Shiro put his gun back into safe mode and put away the pistol.

"You should stay for breakfast, Kaworu." The girl jumped and looked back at the waiting Shiro. "It's a long way home. You shouldn't be moving through the dark."

The short haired japanese heavily blushed in embarrassment, her clothes unfastened and ragged as if she'd thrown them on in a hurry. "Amada-sama...I...I didn't mean to..."

Shiro placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and motioned to the sleeping babe in his other arm. "You mind taking Norris back to his crib? You can sleep on the spare mat in my room until dawn, alright?"

Kaworu nodded in agreement, carefully accepting the baby into her arms. Norris didn't stir as Kaworu walked off towards his room.

"I taught you to treat ladies better than this." Shiro said out loud, knowing that his son was listening on the other side of the closed door. "If you wanted her to stay, you should've asked."

"I didn't think you'd let her." Akira replied as he quietly opened the door and stepped out to face his father. In many ways, Akira resembled his father, but also took after his mother just as strongly.

Especially thanks to his hair.

And his resemblance to his late uncle.

"You know what they say about assumptions." Shiro motioned for his eldest to follow him down the stairs and the boy hesitantly complied. "I hope you plan on marrying that girl. She's sweet and kind...she doesn't deserve to be tossed away when she's not needed."

Akira looked down in shame as he followed his father. "She didn't want...to strain things."

Understanding his son's meaning, Shiro scoffed. "For the last time Akira, we are not going to run out of food because of one guest."

"The harvests have been shallow for the past four years, don't deny it." Akira insisted. "I've heard you and the team talk about the increasing droughts up north. Rising prices of importing food and seeds...and you've been eating a lot less for the past five months. You're rationing and why is that?"

"I'm an adult." Shiro answered, partially admitting to the boy's concerns. "You children need as much food as you can to grow and stay alive. Your mother had a child inside of her and she needed to eat too. So I decreased my meals to make sure that all of you got what you needed."

"So it's true." Akira scowled at his father when they reached the living room. "We're running out of food."

"We're in a dry spell, we're not out yet." Shiro corrected. "If we're in danger of running out completely, you'll all know and we'll go elsewhere till things get better."

"Dad-"

"Have faith." Shiro told his son, rubbing his white hair and looking into his eyes as he did so. "As paranoid as your mom is, we've been putting away a fifth of our harvests every year since you were born. We haven't had to touch that reserve yet, so we've got more than enough food to last a few more years."

Akira wasn't completely convinced, but Shiro could tell that the youth had at least relented. "Alright dad."

"Go help Uncle Terry with his watch." Shiro handed his pistol to his eldest son, but the boy took out his rifle. "Get going show-off."

Akira dashed off while Shiro slowly moved down the stairs. The weight of his iron prosthetic scrapped against the stump where his leg was amputated. It was a cheap model, created in haste shortly before Akira as born. Aina always told him to get another one, but Shiro didn't bother. Besides, proper prosthetic legs weren't cheap and though he could feed his family, he had no true source of income or valuables he could trade. Sometimes, he just removed the damned leg and moved around with his cane.

The last remnant of his late good friend, EZ-8.

In the meantime, he came to the living room and saw a cute sight. Michael and Kiki were cuddled under a blanket with a pile of clothes next to them. An extra blanket had been set on them and nearby, he saw Eledore sleeping in his chair. The man was rocking his head to whatever song as playing. Shiro was half-tempted to hear what it was, but decided to let the man have his rest.

"Commander." Karen was sitting next to Eledore, half-asleep herself though it was clear that she was keeping watch even while resting. "Norris is the loudest one yet."

Shiro just smirked. "You sure? Ayumi was a screamer, remember?"

"Don't remind me." Karen cringed, thinking of how infant Ayumi had kept the whole household asleep and could never calm down no matter what anyone did. Finally, Kiki brought in a fluffy sheep dog puppy that licked the baby. Somehow that immediately calmed Ayumi down and now that same dog was out with Terry watching the perimeter.

Years ago, this was not how Shiro would have planned to live his life. But he had very different dreams before he lost everything when Side 2 was gassed by Zeon. Those dreams had died with his family and friends. The memory of that day never left Shiro, nor did the decaying faces that begged him to save them. He would never forget about being stranded in a sea of rotting corpses for days before he was rescued by a passing Red Cross vessel.

But though he was troubled by what he had lost, he took joy in what he had now. It reminded him of something his younger sister had once told him. _"Sometimes on the way to a dream you get lost and find a better one."_

"It's a great dream Sheena." Shiro replied and heard the dog howl. His eyes narrowed, Karen immediately got on her feet with Eledore sitting up.

"Is that Sounder?" Kiki groaned and stood, no one even batting at eye at how she'd slept in the nude. "Did he find another Triad?"

"Go back to sleep." Shiro commanded and the retired guerilla fighter dropped right back under the sheets. Eledore already had a rifle in his hands and Karen had one in each of her own, tossing the extra to Shiro. "Let's see what they've caught." Karen led the way with Shiro following behind and Eledore keeping the house secure. Despite their rust, they never forgot their training and Shiro kept his sharp enough to protect his family.

"Terry? Come in. Akira? You there?" Karen spoke into her walkie talkie. When she heard no response, she called into it again. "Sanders? Brat? Where are you?"

"Sorry! Akira here." Shiro signed as the two of them exited the front door and started on the path leading through his modest farm. "Sounder likes this kid. I don't think he means any harm. Terry's trying to get Sounder off of him-"

"Keep Sounder on him." Shiro ordered, not wanting to take any chances.

"Your father says keep Sounder on him." Karen repeated and gave her commander a thumbs up. Moments later, the two of them found Akira sitting by a tree, watching as Terry tried to keep the oversized shepard dog from licking the young man under him to death.

"Okay! Okay! I taste good!" The young man with a small afro laughed. The white and furry dog panting and barking at his new friend. "Please get him off of me."

"Sorry kid, I've got orders to keep you there." Terry replied, not yet noticing that Shiro had come to the scene.

"It's cause I'm black ain't it?"

"I'm black boy!" Terry countered. "You said that cause I'm black, didn't you?"

"You're not black!" The boy rebuked. "You're just really tan!"

"Let's back this up." Shiro demanded and Terry saluted on reflex. "At ease Terry, we're not military anymore. First off, who are you?"

"Letz Kobayashi sir." The boy replied. "Are you Shiro Amada?"

Shiro just signed. "All these years and Bright sends a kid to talk to me? Hungry?"

Letz gave a wide smile. "Very!"

* * *

 **Amada Household**

"Why the hell would Char side with the Covenant?" Aina asked their guest in true confusion. Shiro had to agree with his wife, it made no sense for even a fractured faction of the religiously motivated Covenant to join with any human-based group. Shiro recalled horror stories about pirate crews and deserting ships who tried to join the Covenant, but were killed without provocation or warning.

"Divide and conquer." Shiro summarized and cautiously sipped his green tea. "The Covenant was reeling after their defeat in the Outer Colonies and their own civil war. Now they want to do the same by pitting Zeon against the Federation. At least that's what I'd do if I were them."

"Mr. Bright thinks the same." Letz agreed as he dug into his eggs and ham. He was weary of Sounder, so the dog had to eat his food in the other room much to the children's disappointment. "By the way, your ham is awesome! Thank you Miss Aina!"

"My pleasure." Aina replied to the compliment. "We've hit a dry spell for a while so we don't have much-"

"Are we gonna starve, mama?" Sakura fearfully asked, almost afraid to continue eating her breakfast. "Cause I'm not hungry-"

"Eat." Shiro commanded without looking at his daughter. Sakura signed and continued eating despite her apprehension. "No one's starving anytime soon. Your mother and I prepared already and set aside food in case things really get bad. So don't worry about it, alright Sakura?"

"Yes, papa." Sakura replied, more assured by her father's words.

"That goes for all of you." Shiro stated, addressing both his team and his children. "No one leaves a plate untouched and wasted! That's an order! Are we clear?"

"Yes Sir!" Everyone replied with a salute. Shiro chuckled and waved for them to settle down.

"You remind me of my dad." Letz said, clearly impressed by the previous scene. "Probably comes from being a Martial Arts Master and Instructor. He knew them all! Jet Kun Do; Krav Magai, Kung Fu, Juyo, Tai Kwan Do, and a whole lot of stuff whose names I don't remember."

"Sounds like he was a good man." Shiro remarked, knowing a lot about the late Hayato Kobayashi from his time in Karaba. Shiro only met the man a few times and only briefly, but he was clearly an unsung hero. Just like his tragically late son Katz.

Letz nodded as he wiped away an unshed tear. "He was...and...he spoke highly about people like you. That's why Commodore Bright sent me to-"

"Recruit me in another crusade against Zeon?" Shiro asked the young man. The mood dropped as the kids began to sense something was wrong. He couldn't fault them, his children were all sharp thanks to their mother's genes. "Apologies, I don't mean to snap at you. How about we all eat and then we can talk as men, eh?"

"Okay." Letz agreed as breakfast continued on. Shiro sat back, watching his old team-mates and his own kids excitedly ask Letz about what was happening outside of their little valley. Clearly, the young man wasn't prepared to answer so many questions, but he handled himself pretty well regardless.

"I'm not actually a soldier." Shino and Kurono pouted in disappointment at Letz. "I'm a civilian contractor...I usually repair communications and keep radios working."

"Why's that important?" Shino asked. "What are you going to do? Talk the Zeons to death?"

"Mr. Letz's job is very important." Akira explained to his younger brother. "Without communications, the soldiers and pilots can't talk to each other. That means they can't work together as a time or tell each other important information."

"That's right." Shiro joined in and pointed to Eledore and Michael. "Uncle Eledore and Uncle Michael were my communications experts. Without them, me and the team would've been blind and unable to talk to each other."

"Don't ya forget it." Eledore smugly remarked, earning light choke-hold from his girlfriend Karen. Eledore grabbed the master chief with his legs and flipped both of them over the table. The kids cheered and laughed, watching the two twist and grab each other while calling out names and family unfriendly insults.

"Take it outside." Shiro commanded without raising his tone, his former subordinates rolling out of the dining with Kiki pointing and laughing. Letz blinked rapidly, shocked at how unaffected the family was. Even baby Norris was still sleeping in his sister Niata's arms. "They'll make up outside."

Letz nodded, gobbling down the last of his food before he spoke again. "The food was great! Thank you Mrs. Amada!"

Aina smiled. "I'm glad you liked it and you finished everything. Unlike a certain young man...who needs to finish his potatoes."

"I don't like it!" Sitachi complained, but one look from his father told him to keep eating. The boy grumbled all the way, scarfing down his food while making funny faces of protest.

"Nothing is wasted in this household." Shiro affirmed to his children, making it clear that they were not to waste a single piece of food.

"My mom's the same way." Letz laughed. "Mr. Bright is like that with his men. And with the mission he's about to face...he doesn't let anyone complain about the food they'll get-"

"What does that have to do with me?" Shiro coldly remarked. "The Feddies can starve for all I care."

As Letz paused, Aina gave her husband a reproachful glare. "Sorry Letz, my husband doesn't distrust you-"

"He distrusts the uniform my father wore." Letz stated and met Shiro's stare with his own. Terry gestured for Michael and Kiki to move the kids into the next room. Confused, the children were ushered out of the living room with Akira giving a lingering look back before Kaworu grabbed his hand and led him away. "I know your history commander. I know that the Federation labeled you as guilty before you were proven guilty and how hard things were for you under the Titans-"

"Do you?" Shiro cut in, unbidden memories of the Titan regime entering his mind despite his attempts to stay in the present. "I have never raised my gun against any Federation personnel nor have I ever aided in any plans against the Federation. But the Titans decided to hunt me down...hunt my family down. Were you on Earth when the Titans ruled, Letz?"

"I was." Letz replied. "My father started Karaba remember? We were targets by association, mom had to move us from place to place to stay ahead of Federation agents. Finally, we just left for the colonies until things blew over...well...except for Katz and dad..."

"Sorry to hear. But it's different to be ahead of it rather than living through it." Shiro stated with Aina looking towards their children playing in the next room. "If turning myself in would've been the end of it, I'd put myself on the line and tell the pussies to pull the trigger. But I knew it wouldn't end with me. I saw neighbors get dragged out and forced to watch as their homes were torched by Titan squads. I saw children being torn from their parents and taken to education camps. I saw wives and daughters get raped by as many as ten men while their fathers, sons and brothers were killed as potential traitors to the Federation."

A shocked Letz nearly dropped his cup as Shiro continued on. "I didn't want to hurt anyone, but when they came for my family, they crossed the line. When five men are stripping your pregnant wife and luridly fondling her...you don't stand there and do nothing. So I killed those men and did what I could to hide the bodies. But someone always talks, so my family and I had to go into hiding. After moving from place to place, we found a Karaba refugee base and reunited with the 8th MS. Months later, the Titans found us and we had no choice but to fight back. We ended up as members of Karaba until the war ended... but a friend on the inside warned that the bounty on my head was and is STILL active!"

"And now after all of that, the Federation expects me to abandon my family to fight it's wars and clean up its mess again?" Shiro balked at the very notion and spat on the floor. "What do I owe the Federation?"

"Nothing." Letz curtly replied and motioned towards the Amada children. "But you want them to have a good future, right?"

"How does helping the Federation ensure that?"

"Because if Char defeats the Federation, your children won't have a future." Letz stated bluntly. "Char's nuts. He absolutely believes that what he's doing is for the greater good and he's already proven that he'll kill anyone for that to happen. You may live on the margins, but you have heard of Lhasa right?"

"That was Zeon?" A stunned Aina gasped with Letz silently answering with a nod. "How is that possible...that would mean Zeon smuggled enough explosives to equal-"

"An entire Teraton of Tnt." Letz answered. "And it's only going to get worst from here. Char will stop at nothing to force humanity into space, even if he has to kill off a few hundred million innocents to get his point across. Lhasa was only the first strike and trust me when I say that he has more in-store for Earth."

"What can I do against that?" Shiro asked, his features softened due to an understanding of what Earth was now facing. "I haven't piloted a suit in years. Besides that, I'm almost 40, missing a leg and have been out of touch with the wider world for a long time. What do you want from me that I can give?"

"You're like my dad. You are a leader, Shiro." Letz answered and gave a glance to Aina and then to the 8th MS who were seated in the next room. Though they were focused on the kids, it was clear to the newtype that they were listening as well. "I've read your profile, Amada. You graduated with top marks from the Officer Academy just in time for the war. You defeated multiple ace-type units and three different variants of the same super weapons with wit and guts. Your squad never suffered a single loss. Your alliance with the South-Eastern Guerrillas provided the Kojima Division with tactical and recon abilities that were essential in the Asian front against Zeon. You were also the one to kill Blue Hound..."

Letz stopped and looked to Aina who appeared to be on the verge of tears. "Sorry...I know that Norris was a dear friend to you. I meant no offense-"

"No. Shiro did kill Norris." Aina said with sorrow for the man she loved as a father. "But he chose his path to save me. He fought bravely and honorably as he wanted to. He died without regret...and he died without pain."

"I did kill him, but only because he let me." Shiro still ran that scene through his mind to this very day. By all rights, Shiro shouldn't have been able to cut that Gouf in half as he did. It was too quick to let Shiro's damaged and sluggish EZ gundam get the drop on it. But Shiro knew back then as he did now that Norris allowed himself to die. He allowed himself to be cut down so that he could destroy the last Guncannon threatening his Base.

Though Shiro killed Norris, the Blue Hound still won that fight.

It was just too bad that Ginias rendered Norris' sacrifice in vain soon afterwards.

"All the same, you're undercutting yourself." Letz remarked and placed out a folder showing several downed Titan suits. "Were these members of the Titans battalion sent after your refugee camp?"

"Yeah. What about them?" Shiro inquired while Aina studied each suit and saw that most had been crippled from sudden removal of their legs and power regulators.

"This kind of on-the-fly planning and execution is exactly why we need you." Letz stated. "Char knows Mr. Bright, he knows Aunt Sayla and he knows Uncle Amuro. They've fought him too many times for him not to. But he doesn't know you. Hell, he'll consider you insignificant because you're a natural. Which is great for all of us. There is nothing small about defeating an advanced Zaku with a Ball or crippling a Zaku on foot with improvised unconventional tactics. You'll need to be put through the ropes to get back into the flow of being a soldier. But we need more improvisers like you. You can contribute in ways that could turn an unfavorable scenario into a winning chance."

Shiro said nothing as he looked towards his thoughtful and sullen wife. "I need to think-"

"Go." Aina stated to Shiro's surprise. "We can't run forever, Shiro. If there's anything we can do to stop Zeon, we have to do it."

"We?" Letz asked in surprise. "You don't have to come, Mrs. Amada. Besides, it might be safer for you to-"

"Stay here and let my husband walk among the wolves?" Aina countered angrily. "Besides, I may not be a tactical improviser, but I'm a technician and a former Zeon captain myself. There are things that I know about Zeon that you would never guess, child. The more things change, the more that they stay the same. I can help Amuro's team understand this about Zeon's weapons and better deal with them."

Letz nodded, considering what Aina had to say. "You'll have to be put into shape too. But otherwise, I don't see why you shouldn't come along to the party."

"Party?" Shiro asked in confusion. "Who else is coming?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Not much to say for now, I'll save it till after the next two chapters.**

 **The next few chapters will be shorter than usual, but meaningful for the characters being introduced. They were originally going to be one big chapter, but I felt it was appropriate for these three characters to have their own chapters.**

 **Later.**


	9. Act VIII: The Stardust Failure

**Somewhere in Midwestern America**

"Wrap it up! We're closing shop soon!" He heard the supervisor shout. The Worker strained his arms, trying hard to pry open the doors to his quarry. When he finally got the damned thing open, the japanese-born man hooked his grappling line to the door's hinge and jumped down.

The lift of the rope slowed his descent and let him hit his boots to a metal floor with a loud thud. As he'd expected, the interior had been devastated by the quarry's reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. As he turned on a flashlight and looked around, he could already see burn marks and burnt uniforms. It was impossible to tell who the remnants had been before their deaths, but if any identifying features could be found then they should be salvaged.

One, it would bring closure to grieving families.

Two, there's a bonus 200 reward for each identifier found.

The worker searched through the quarry's interior, careful not to risk getting close to areas still molten hot from leaked energy lines. Though the quarry's fuel had long since leaked out, the distortion left behind were still hazardous and could melt a man's entire arm from a wayward touch. The young man pulled out his pack and stuffed its pocket with a few dog tags from what had to have been Dutch and African men based on their names. There was also an man with a Chinese name whose tags he found and next to it was a fuel rod launcher.

The launcher would have to wait.

Heavier pickings were worth more, but were more of a hassle to carry around. Not to mention that Covenant tech wasn't on demand for his employer. The worker learned that the hard way when he found a half-destroyed Scarab and only got a measly 5,000 deal out of all of that effort.

He stopped and clutched his growling stomach. "Alright! That's all for today." He went back to the grappling line and tugged once to pull himself back to the surface. He climbed out of the doorway and carefully hiked his way down the side of the cruiser's hull. Despite having done this many times this week, the worker didn't want to suffer the fate of his late co-workers whose hooks remained embedded in the quarry's hull.

After half of an hour, he hopped down and looked up to the massive Pegasus-Class Kai cruiser that he'd climbed down from. The worker breathed out and absently waved his hand upon the smooth exterior of the once proud Federation vessel. Much of its portside sections had been burned off in reentry or buried by its crash. The rest of the ship sported dents, holes and scorch marks from the battle which crippled it. This Pegasus ship wasn't the only ship that decorated the fields of Northern Kansas, but it was the only one of its kind to survive reentry thus far.

It better be worth more than 5,000.

"Bring back memories Feddie?" The worker looked over to his old supervisor who smirked at him. "We'll have a look at it tomorrow and see what we can salvage. As for you...you'll get...a third share of the earnings."

The young man scoffed. "Thanks boss. I also got some tags...7."

"That's 1400 then." The supervisor looked upon the tags that his charge held up to him. "That's all you could find?"

"Unless ash is worth anything, yes."

"You'd be surprised Feddie." The old man quipped. "By the way, some woman's looking for you back at the office. Looks real professional, might be one of your Feddie friends."

"I don't have any Feddie friends." The supervisor shrugged as the worker walked away from the pegasus class vessel and went over to his motorcycle parked by a downed F2 Zaku that he'd found earlier that day. The Mobile suit was totaled by an excellent shot through its chest...just enough to disable the suit without setting off the reactor, but reentry had totaled its cockpit and motors.

But he was done salvaging crap. The worker got on his motorcycle and drove off...

* * *

 **Memorial of Failure**

An hour later, his motorcycle stalled.

The worker was thrown off and sent skidding across the plains.

He roared in frustration, standing up and kicking the broken vehicle. He held his foot and hopped on the other, falling on his back and sending pain running through his body. He rolled onto his feet and cringed at where he had been thrown.

The graveyard was of a circular design, created in honor of the millions who'd lost their lives from the Stardust Drop. The worker walked past the Stardust Memorial Stone and saw the face of a captain and lieutenant that brought tears to his eyes. He walked through the graveyard as he had many times before.

And on every grave was a name.

The worker didn't recognize many of these names. But he knew what they died for.

They died for his failure.

He tried to walk, to stay calm as he moved through his graveyard. Though it wasn't much of a graveyard, closer to a memorial site in truth. None of these markers had any graves underneath them. Some were in the shapes of crosses, some were model rifles with a helmet propped on top, some were slabs of stone and a few were modeled after mobile suit heads.

But they were all empty.

And they all were reminders of what he had failed.

After half an hour, it was too much and the worker started running.

It was just a fast jog at first, an attempt to keep from seeing any of the names carved into these stones. But it failed and he picked up pace, the names of every single man, woman and child who had died repeating in his mind like a bad song. Even as blurs on either side of his vision, he could not escape the stones.

Nor could he escape the foot that tripped him.

"Well, well, well." The worker got on his feet and looked back at the four men staring him down. Only one was smiling, the rest were angry and two of them were half-drunk. "Look who came through our part of the neighborhood."

"I don't see your names anywhere, strangers." The worker defiantly remarked, balling his fists so that if he went out, he'd go out swinging. A shovel was thrown at his feet and the worker looked down at it. It so happened that he was next to an uncommon space in the graveyard, a place reserved for a future grave.

"It'll be easier to dig with that, failure." The worker recognized the medals on the man's uniform and realized that he was a retired major. One of the men lit a cigarette, smiling as Kou looked from the shovel to the major. "Or, we'll take you out of the yard and you can dig out there."

"Or, we'll just kill ya and throw your body to the dogs." A brutish man laughed, clearly a discharged private who'd joined a biker gang. "Your choice Stardust Failure."

"Where's the choice where I get to live?" The worker inquired and was punched to the ground by a one-armed man. "Come on! Give me some options friends!"

"We're fresh out of those." The major laughed and all four froze when a second shovel was thrown at them from behind. They all turned and saw a man that made them all shake with fear.

"Two can dig faster than one." The old cowboy wearing a poncho stated, throw a cigar in the brute's face. "But last I checked, I'm the one who decides who digs and who lays in the graves."

"This ain't your fight Blondie." The Major warned. "Don't you know who this bastard is-"

"Get out of my yard." Ol'Blondie warned, a shotgun in one hand raised against the attackers. Some went for their own guns, but the old man already had his free hand on another holstered pistol. He shook his head and casually walked closer. The Feddies backed off, allowing the worker to get on his feet.

"Now scat." The Feddies all ran without another word. The worker turned to thank the old man, but the retired gunslinger just looked at him. The shotgun wasn't pointed in his direction, but it wasn't lowered either. "You heard me. Get out of my yard, jap."

"Don't have to tell me twice." The worker remarked and started jogging off again. He was just glad to be out of that graveyard.

But the names haunted him for the entire run.

* * *

 **Stardust Loner**

After a long jog and a cold shower, the loner was wrapped in his sheets, sleeping away until morning.

No, that would be a lie. He wasn't truly asleep. He had not had a truly good nights sleep for ten years.

He lied in bed, not moving with his eyes closed. But his mind kept him awake. For if he were to drift into the land of slumber, all he would find there was pain. He would see the faces of friends long gone and dead. He would see the faces of Federation judges, condemning him and forcing him to watch as his captain put a bullet in his skull. He would see the face of the woman who had betrayed him and whom he had punched when they had last met.

He would hear the bloom of the sun consuming the fleet of his comrades. His silver haired foe wielding a nuclear bazooka firing at his fellow pilots and soldiers. The man would ride a falling colony that the loner would try to hold back. The loner would fail and he would see millions of children scream out as flesh melted from their skeletons. Their parents' tears evaporated by the same winds that tore them apart and broke them down like cardboard dummies.

No. It was better to lie still and to rest rather than to revisit those visions of regret again. Even if he deserved to be reminded of what he had failed a thousand times over. But as always, his body won over his mind and he was about to drift back to sleep. Thankfully, the door knocked just as he closed his eyes.

"I hate carrots!" Kou jumped off of his couch and hit the floor. He groaned and pulled on a t-shirt and some torn shorts. It was the only clean set of clothes that he still had that were clean or wearable. The laundry machine was out again which meant that he'd either have to drive ten miles to drop his clothes off at the laundry mat or wash them by hand.

Last time he tried hand washing, it was a disaster.

His work clothes were still musky and dirty, but it was a dirty job so no one cared. Hell, Kou remembered seeing some people come to work without their uniforms and the supervisor didn't care. Unless you forgot the safety equipment, then you were a liability waiting to happen.

There was no further knocking, so Kou wasn't in a hurry. He yawned and wiped dust out of his weary eyes, his hand brushed over his chest-length beard as he finally walked over to his apartment door and peeked out.

A blue haired woman was standing outside.

"If you're selling religion, I'm already Christian so buzz off." Kou hadn't been to church in ten years, but he wasn't gonna let that let other people bother him. "If you're looking for cash or ass, go next door."

"Wasn't interested in him." The woman remarked and held up a badge. "I'm Lieutenant Chan Agi of the Earth Federation Londo Bell Task force. I'm looking for a man named Kou Uraki."

Kou turned away and slammed his back against the door in frustration. What did the Feddies want now? "If this is about the Stardust Burn, I don't know who he is! And where's your warrant, lieutenant?"

"If you want me to leave, then I'll leave." Agi politely stated to Kou's slight relief. But he still had his trusty sidearm ready in case she was lying like the last guy. "But I have a proposition from Amuro Ray that may interest you, Kou."

Amuro? What did the great Amuro Ray want with a failure like him? "How do you know that I'm Kou Uraki? You haven't seen my face, I could be an imposter-"

"That's why I'm armed." Smart girl. "Now are you going to open the door or should I just leave?"

Every instinct in Kou's mind told him to tell this woman to screw off. Yet, there was one whisper that stopped him from committing. The whisper sounded like his old lieutenant, it was telling him to hear her out. Kou had no reason to heed this whisper other than his own guilt over the lieutenant's death and how his failures made his death meaningless.

But he unlocked the door.

"It's messy, it stinks and I wasn't expecting company." Kou opened the door, taking in the look of this casually dressed federation officer and holding the door open on instinct. "Give me a few minutes and I can clear you a seat."

Chan peeked into the room and raised her eyebrows in amusement. "Take your time, I'm not in a hurry."

A minute later, Chan was seated on a cleared out lounge chair with emerging from the kitchen with two glasses of juice. Chan took an offered glass and her expression raised when she tasted the drink. "Wow...Cactus with melon and pineapple? Delicious, Kou. Thank you."

"I had some leftover, so I figured why not offer my best." Kou said with a shrug and grimaced when he tasted something in his drink that made him gag. "And carrot too...how did that happen?"

Chan giggled. "I thought I tasted a punch somewhere."

Despite his obvious disgust, Kou finished his drink and set his cup down. "Let's cut to the chase, ma'am. We both know that you didn't come all this way to taste my mixed drinks."

"No, but it was a gracious bonus." Chan commented, making Kou smirk a little. "What do you know about Londo Bell?"

"You're the best task force in the Federation." Kou answered, with Chan's attention turning towards dozens of Federation News magazines and journals scattered on a table nearby. "At least that's what all of the experts say. You were formed after the Gryps Conflict as an Anti-Zeon task force that doesn't kill the people it's trying to protect. Some call you guys the Anti-Titans or Titan killers depending on who you ask. Half of your upper staff is made up of people who were part of Karaba and the AEUG. And you're led by Captain Bright Noah and the hero Amuro Ray."

"You're well-informed for a scavenger on the margins of the grid." Chan remarked and sipped her drink. Kou could feel her eyes study his posture and body. He couldn't read her mind, but he had been too well-trained to not see when he's being measured and analyzed. "But let me correct you on a few things. Londo Bell doesn't just fight Zeon, we also fight any threat to humanity, foreign or domestic. Which includes the Tripods; Covenant factions; Anti-Earth terrorists; and even those in the Federation who mean the Earth harm. Also, Bright Noah is a Commodore and Amuro is now Captain Ray."

Kou nodded, accepting the correction. "Neat. What does that have to do with me?"

"You were a contracted pilot for Karaba during the Gryps Conflict and the 1st Neo Zeon War." Chan explained to Kou's surprise. "From what I've researched, you were really good at it. So what happened? Why didn't you apply for membership into Londo Bell?"

"I didn't want to be the Federation's dog-" Kou stopped himself and his eyes widened when he felt something. Whatever he felt, it was coming from this woman and it was in his head. He snarled and stood on his feet in un-explainable frustration. "What do you care? You don't know a thing about me-"

"Uraki Kou was originally born in 1963 as an illegitimate child from a love affair between Uraki Ryo and an Austrialian/Korean tourist named Mina. You were raised by your father, but was only formally legitimized into the Uraki clan in 1975 after Ryo's only legitimate son and heir Kawano was killed in an honor duel." Chan explained without missing a beat, amazing Kou and causing him to fall back into his couch. "In 1978, you entered the junior branch of the Federation Academy and scored in the top 20% of all students. But due to a classified incident, you were held back from early graduation and thus you didn't formally graduate until after the One Year War." Chan read off. "What happened after you were transferred to Torrington Base is history of course."

"So you can memorize public information. Big deal." Kou scoffed and shuffled his hands in his pockets. "That doesn't mean you know me."

"I know that you regret Stardust." Chan stated back. "I can read it in your stance, your eyes, your demeanor, your face...you're still scarred by what happened and you truly believe that it is all your fault."

Kou looked down at the floor, unable to look at her and uncomfortable with this whole line of discussion. "I think that it's time for you to leave, ma'am."

Chan frowned, but shrugged her shoulders. "Look at this mess... is this how you want to spend the rest of your life? Wallowing in sorrow and regret while the world passes you by? And any chance for glory or to make a difference just flies over you?"

Kou furrowed his eyes, staring into the woman's eyes as though his own had no life in them. "I thought that I could start fresh with the mercenary gig. An Aussie sniper told me that mercenary work is good money, keeps food on your plate and that someone would always want someone else dead. So I took the job, I worked with Karaba and thought I could jump-start to a more stable career. But then someone recognized me."

"They recognized the Stardust Failure and didn't want anything to do with me." Kou explained as Chan sat and listened on. "I kept trying for months, but someone always recognized me. I've been blacklisted since Stardust and that was because no one wanted me to fail them as badly as I failed the Federation. And they're right..."

"It was my fault." Kou looked away from Agi, turning towards a clean frame-up of the Albion crew. "People counted on me...and I failed them. 10 Million people died because I couldn't stop Delaz or Gato. I saw friends fight and die to stop Gato...and thanks to me...they...they died for nothing..."

Kou stood up and walked towards the frame, Chan watched Kou pick up the old photo and sooth his finger on a blond woman next to a younger and beardless version of himself from the past. "If I'd been a better pilot...If I hadn't been so weak...all of that pain would've been for something. But every time I visit Lieutenant Burning's grave, I can't bear to be there for longer than five minutes. Because all I'd be able to say was that I failed him...and that he died for nothing...and it was my fault. Because I'm the Stardust Failure...I am a failure."

Chan watched Uraki's shoulders lower and stepped towards him. "Gato's plan may have succeeded, but you're not a failure."

"Letting the enemy win is the definition of failure-"

"You suffered a defeat, name one person whose never been defeated." Chan countered. "And if I recall, you're the one who destroyed the stolen GP02 and killed Cima in the modified GP04 knockoff. 54 confirmed kills and 15 downed ships are impressive. You gave it your all it appears. Failure only happens when you don't try."

"That's nonsense to tell kids when they get a bad grade." Kou replied. "Don't suger-coat me. You know who I am and why I'm on the lowest spot in the Federation's black list. Why the hell would Amuro Ray want me?"

"Because you stopped Gato once before." Chan answered, seeing Kou's eyes narrow at that man's name. "If you hadn't destroyed his GP02, he would have used it to completely wipe out the Federation armada during and after Stardust. Did you know that his bazooka had a beam component that was just as powerful as the nuclear missile it fired?"

Kou paused in brief surprise. "No... I... didn't... "

"Furthermore, we have eye witnesses who verify seeing a man who looked like you escort supply convoys to the AEUG and Karaba." Chan explained as Kou rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Do you deny your involvement?"

"I needed the money, plus who wants to see the Titans control everything-"

"You dismiss everything, but the truth is that part of you wants to make things right." Chan declared as Kou tried to look down and suddenly found Chan holding his face up to look into her eyes. "Don't fight it...don't suppress it and don't deny it. Because I'm offering you a chance to bring closure to your wounded heart...your deflated pride as a warrior...and dignity as a human being. You still have the instincts of a warrior and we need warriors like you. Amuro's putting together a meeting of warriors and other people we need to stop Gato and Char, we want you at that meeting."

"Agi... " The sapphire pearls in this woman's eyes made Kou forget what he was about to say. It was strange, he felt like this woman knew what he was about to say. She knew and she was responding to him without saying a single word.

And she was right.

"Fine! I'll go to the meeting!" Kou shouted tiredly and turned away from the woman's pretty eyes. "But I'm not making any promises yet! You hear me? I'm not signing shit until I know what I'm getting thrown into! And you owe me dinner!"

"Works for me." Chan agreed, surprising herself when she realized what she had agreed to. "So where do you want to go for dinner?"

Kou was shocked that Chan was going through with that part of the silly deal. "How do you feel about pizza?"

"What's Pizza?" Kou couldn't believe that this woman didn't know what pizza was. "I'm open to new things. After you clean yourself up."

Kou sniffed himself and gagged. "That's fair."

"Keep the beard, it looks good on you." For the first time in ten years, Kou Uraki blushed. It was a slight blush, but it was there and Kou liked the feeling.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Again, not much to say here.**

 **It's not completely logical that everyone would blame Kou for the Stardust Incident. However, it's partially a scapegoat effect and Kou himself has internalized the label because of his own guilt. That said, Kou's got a long way to go before he's back to being the Top Ace back when he was ten years younger.**

 **I'm sure that the GP-02 in the show could only fire a nuclear missile. However, during research, I found an alternate model of the GP-02 with a Mega-Particle Beam Bazooka and incorporated it into the story's background.**

 **And yes, Ol'Blondie is exactly who you think he is.**

 **Later.**


	10. Act IX: The Zeta Doctor

**St Luna Hospital, Von Braun**

"She's not going to make it." The Chief Surgeon signed sadly, watching his best doctor operate on a 16 month old patient.

"Have a little faith Grey." One of the senior surgeons said more optimistically. However, he also knew that the odds were against their co-worker in the operation room. As the man worked best when alone, all others who weren't on other cases were observing.

Especially since the man was undergoing a very delicate procedure.

"He makes this look easy." One of the newer doctors observed in awe. At the moment, synthetic weaves were being utilized to close the Ductus arteriosus which caused the little girl's ailment. It was a very severe case with the girl suffering from many problems including breathing difficulty that required her to wear a breathing apparatus or suffocate. If successful, the weaves that their co-worker was utilizing would keep the arteriosus sealed and gradually merge with the organic tissue around it. "So why is he called-"

"Not now!" The chief rebuked though he was curious about that rumor as well. Just an hour ago, a kind old woman named Betty had passed at the age of 130. Which meant that the child's chances for surviving were increased by a drastic rate. It can't be mere coincidence that the doctor always saved every patient he put his hands on right after one dies on him...even one that he didn't personally operate on or treat.

Which was why some of the doctors called him "The Necromancer."

"Looks like Betty helped him out." The Senior snarked, earning a heavy smack as their co-worker began to close up the tissue he'd cut open to reach the toddler's heart. "Told you to have faith Chief."

"Patient stabilizing, breathing normal, blood pressuring evening out and synthetic poultrice holding steady." Dr. Kamille Bidan said into the intercom. "Operation successful. Time...eh...what time is it?"

"You're done for today Bidan. We'll watch her overnight." The chief assured an unsmiling Bidan who just nodded and left as nurses entered to move his patient to the recovery room. "He just saved a life...can't he smile about that?"

"You know him sir." The senior remarked. "Bidan's never happy unless he saves everyone. But since that never happens..."

"He's never happy." The chief finished and took a swig of his scotch.

* * *

 **Luna Lights of Pluto Luna**

The stars danced through the void of the sky.

The thin dome of Pluto Luna did not even pretend to be a sky unlike those of the Sides. The people here did not mind, they enjoyed the view of the Earth and the stars beyond.

Kamille thought he'd never get used to the sight.

He walked through the streets, his watch telling him that it was Evening by Earth measurements. People were busy in the streets, going from place to place while kids played and chased each other. Kamille stopped by a newspaper stand and bought a paper.

The one about the Lhasa attack.

At the time, the moon was not in position close to Asia and so he didn't see the explosion that destroyed Federation HQ. In fact, even the Battle above Earth hadn't affected life on the Lunar colonies at all. True, the Luna fleet had been called into battle and suffered heavy losses. But otherwise, the current conflict might as well be happening in another galaxy as far as the people were concerned.

Though what Kamille felt told another story.

He sensed fear even on the faces of smiling and playing children. They did not understand what they feared, the youngest ones never did. But that same fear was present in their parents as well. He sensed dread upon the moods of those doing business. A sense of despair that crept upon them like a stalker from the darkness. They could not see the stalker, but it was there like an ever looming watcher.

He passed a drunk veteran, feeling the rage and betrayal within the man's heart. Kamille recognized him, he had been admitted several times for attempted suicide. Last time around, he'd cut open his throat when he failed to hang himself. Kamille managed to save him, but the man cursed him.

Kamille felt the man's hatred burn upon him. He stopped and looked the retired lieutenant in the eyes. The hatred of the legless, one-armed marine as hot as the bright side of Venus. The man had wanted to die and Kamille had robbed him of that desire.

However, Kamille didn't want to bother wasting anymore time on a coward. He turned and walked away as the marine wheeled himself into the alleyway. Kamille might have pitied him months ago, but he couldn't do it. The man was so far beyond the horizon of despair that anything Kamille may try to do would fall on deaf ears. He could only heal the man's injuries...not his soul.

Even Kamille himself wasn't fully healed.

 _"That was a good thing you did today, child."_ The spectre of a kind old woman walked alongside Bidan. _"That little girl will grow into a smart and pretty woman someday. Thank you."_

 _"No need, I just did my job."_ Kamille mentally remarked, unphased when a stranger walked through the spectre. Kamille wasn't surprised, after all only he was aware of the lingering shades of the dead. _"I'm sorry that-"_

 _"It was my time...you gave me peace..."_ The old woman assured Kamille. _"Now go have some fun youngster! Get to that casino and win the jackpot for both of us!"_

Kamille burst out laughing. Even after the shade was gone, Kamille still laughed. His laughter earned strange looks from others he passed by, but he didn't care. The patient had been an avid and lucky gambler since winning her first slot when she was younger. The habit never died, nor did her luck. At least until Betty succumbed to heart failure and died peacefully in her sleep. Kamille just laughed, remembering that Betty had given him a few free passes to the casino.

The laughter died when he entered the usual bar.

The first thing that greeted him was Paptimus Scirocco kissing and fondling a woman who looked like someone he had loved.

 _"Wanna watch?"_ Kamille stood paralyzed, stunned as Paptimus took out a knife and slowly carved into Murasame's eye as she screamed. _"This is just the beginning-"_

"Doctor! Doc!" Kamille jumped to his feet in shock. He looked and saw that Paptimus was gone as was Four. He thought he saw Quattro salute him from the crowd of men gathered around him. But the only blonds in the bar were the servers and the stage dancers.

"I'm...I'm fine." Kamille got to his feet and had a cold bear put into his hand. He nodded to the barkeep who gave it to him. "Thanks doc."

"Half price, it's my strongest drink." Kamille wasn't surprised by this cheapskate. The man was a former hustler for the Triads and didn't waste an chance to earn even an extra cent for his income.

Still, Kamille gulped down the drink without any complaints.

"Heard ya broke another record today doc." One of the usuals complimented as Kamille took a seat. "50 kids in one day and didn't lose a single one?"

Kamille didn't answer. He hated bragging about the lives he saved like it was a number on a board. Those were lives at stake, not trophies for glory. Those fifty kids were someone's children.

"Leave the doc alone." Mike chided his friend. "You know he doesn't like small talk about his patients."

"Hey! Another Federation Ads coming on!" A patron laughed, the big-screen tv now displaying a Federation officer come on screen.

 _"Are you looking for adventure?"_ A gruzzled officer said, pointing at his audience as he spoke. _"Do you seek a higher purpose? Do you want to protect your fellow man? To do your part for the defense of humanity? Do you want to do your part?"_

"It starts." Kamille cynically thought to himself. Another recruitment ad for the Federation forces. At least it was better produced and acted than the Titans ad he saw as a kid. Plus the editing was faster and more exciting to be more encouraging and inspiring for potential enlistees.

Though it was fake as hell to those baptised in fire like Kamille.

 _"I'm doing my part!"_ A hispanic woman in combat armor declared smiling.

 _"I'm doing mine too!"_ A black man donned in an aircraft engineer suit stated.

 _"I'm doing my part!"_ A blond man sitting on a dirty Jegan shouted.

 _"I'm doing my part too!"_ A brown-haired japanese kid laughed, the adults around him laughing because the kid's uniform was too big.

 _"Join the Federation Forces today!"_ The scene shifted to the officer observing a formation of thousands of pilots and soldiers. _"There's a place for everyone in the Federation Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. The brave, the strong, the smart and the quick have trained and honed their skills in our ranks since World War 2. Every battle is a lesson and every encounter a challenge."_

 _"But the Federation never yields and will persevere for the sake of humanity!"_ The scene now showed a grand fleet gathering near one of the moons of Saturn. _"But to do that, we need soldiers!"_

 _"Soldiers like Ensign Sally Po of the White Newt Security Force."_ A young fifteen year old waved at the camera. However, she immediately stood at attention when a taller and more muscled officer walked by. _"Soldiers like Commander Sterod Bandor of the 21st Ranger Company."_

 _"Leaders like Commodore Bright Noah of the Londo Bell Taskforce Division!"_ Kamille smiled upon seeing a bandaged Bright directing his bridge. _"And heroes like Major Sayla Mass of the 79th Phenix Squadron." The entire bar cheered when a rather sexy Sayla posed and gave a thumbs up. She then jumped into her custom gundam and flew away into the stars._

 _"One year of service guarantees full range insurance and paid education costs for two years." The narration explained as the scene turned to a line of young men and women signing contracts in front of stoic recruiters. "Minimum age for voluntary enlistment is 16. Ages 12 through 15 require parental permission and a successful mental and intellectual evaluation. Commission into the Officer Corps requires a minimum of 4 years of secondary education."_

"Twelve?" Kamille was young when he had piloted the Gundam. But for the age to be lowered to 12? This was either a sign of desperation or cruelty.

"Yeah!" Some thirteen year old shouted as his father pat him on the head. "Sign me up pops! I wanna kill me some Zeons!"

"Your mother would kill me boy." The older man laughed as the boy pouted. "Don't worry! There'll be another war when you're older!"

"It won't be as cool as this one." The boy complained as Kamille slammed down his drink. "Hey! I think Kamilla's angry-"

Kamille slapped the boy.

As the boy stood stunned, his father stood up at full height, towering over Kamille. "I know you didn't just hit my son!"

Kamille just looked at him. "He deserved it. War isn't cool and if you won't discipline him, I will."

"Time for a beating." The man punched fast, but Kamille had already sensed the man's intent and dodged as gracefully as a dancer spins. He aimed a moderately strong punch into the side of the man's cheek. It wasn't enough to hurt the man, but it impacted the nerves enough to stun and throw him off balance.

"Dad!" The boy said as he knelt down to his father. "Hey! Don't you go hitting my dad you blue haired queer!"

"Why not? Hitting your dad was cool." Kamille remarked without any joy though others earnestly agreed with him. Kamille walked over to the barkeep and set down the usual tab for the night including a little extra money. "For the trouble I caused."

"Eh, he had it coming." The barkeep said as he took the money. Kamille turned and left the bar, feeling the hatred that the boy and his half-conscious father were beaming towards him. The rest of the bar just looked at the doctor in a mix of awe and surprise.

As if they hadn't seen him end a fight quickly before.

"As restrained as ever." Kamille hadn't heard that voice for years. Yet, he turned to see an old friend leaning against the bar.

"Amuro."

"It's been a while Kamille." Amuro held out a hand and smiled. Though Kamille could already see so much pain behind that smile and felt something else as well.

"I know." Kamille took Amuro's hand, suddenly feeling a surge of cold isolation run through his mind. "I'm glad to see you."

"You won't be after-"

"I know why you're here." Kamille knew Amuro well enough to know that this wasn't a casual visit. "Still...it's good to see you again."

"If you know why I'm here, you're lying." Amuro countered and turned to leave. "I'll head to the hotel and ship out in the morning. I won't stick around where I'm not wanted-"

"Why pay for a roof when I'll give you one for free?" Amuro looked back at Kamille who wore a small smile. "It's the least I can do. Then we can talk about why you're here."

* * *

 **Bidan Residence**

"Dinner was great, Fa." Amuro complimented Kamille's pretty wife.

The blue-haired woman nodded smiling. "Thank you captain."

"Don't be so formal. I'm technically off the clock." Amuro mused. "Besides, my pay's barely raised since promotion. Though hazard more than makes up for it."

"From what I've heard, you always throw yourself into the thick of things." Kamille remarked, sipping green tea and filling a cup for Fa. "By the way, how is Sayla?"

"Hasn't changed at all." Amuro remarked, noticing that Kamille had his eyes on something in Amuro's jacket pocket. Amuro fumed and took out the small box inside. "I was going to ask her during the trip to Europa. But the mess over Earth put a stop on that plan."

"Need a better moment?" Kamille teased, Amuro blinking and frowning in distaste. "My advice is to just ask her whenever you two are alone. You shouldn't wait for a moment, the moment should just come to you."

"Just do it better than daddy did!" Amuro jumped on seeing the girl next to him. She looked to be about five, her hair as blue as Kamille's with matching eyes. "Mommy says that dad asked her during rush hour."

Amuro chuckled. "What's the story there?"

"Maybe for another time-"

"I was taking a cab to work when Kamille came chasing after us." Fa joined in to the exasperation of her husband. "He kept chasing me, holding out a ring and asking me to marry him. But I couldn't hear him in traffic and poor Kamille...it wasn't until we got to the hospital that I noticed him and when he asked me again, he collapsed on the sidewalk."

"At least she said yes." Amuro laughed, Kamille sending waves of dislike right into Amuro's direction. "I'll make my proposal better than your's."

"But since you're going to wait to long, maybe mine will be better." Amuro stopped laughing, knowing that Kamille had sensed something that he wasn't supposed to. "If you put your grudge before all else, you'll lose out and when your realize it, it'll all be gone-"

"Alright. Let's play nice." Fa chided, putting a hand on Kamille to lower the tension between Amuro and Kamille. Sensing that nothing would work, Fa kissed Kamille's lips. "I'll take Tetra to bed."

Kamille hugged Fa happily. "Thank you, I'll join you soon."

"Good night Fa." Amuro stood and bowed politely, Fa bowed back and gathered up her daughter. Amuro turned back to Kamille who looked at him with greater focus. "How old is she?"

"Five." Kamille answered, smiling as his little girl waved at him and then went along with her mother. "I was...comatose while Fa was pregnant with Tetra...I missed her birth. But I won't miss anything else from her life...not even for you."

"Kamille-"

"I know why you're here." Kamille stated with conviction, conviction not to be a dog of the Federation ever again. "You want me to rejoin the Federation and fight Quattro."

"That name was a disguise." Amuro countered with a firm tone. "He was always Char, Kamille. And now Char wants to destroy the Federation-"

"Considering that the Federation is just as bloody, I'm not surprised." Kamille said with a bitter frown. "Have you forgotten the Titans? Understandable, they didn't kill your mother. But they killed millions of people and turned the Federation into an organization no better than the Principality."

"That was the past-"

"History repeats itself for people who forget the past." Kamille said before Amuro could finish. "I have my own friends in Federation Intelligence. They don't give me anything that would get me arrested, but I get enough to figure out the flow of the politics and whose pockets are getting filled. Enough to know that Tomino won't be enough if the next Supreme Commander rolls over for the elite oligarchs-"

"You realize none of that will matter if Char wins, right?" Amuro stood up from his seat and marched over to the calm Kamille. "This isn't just a war, Kamille. You've heard Char himself! You know that he wants to drive humanity from the Earth! And just recently, he's found a way to do it."

Kamille paused and looked into Amuro's eyes. "Lhasa...that...that was..." His eyes widened from the feelings he read from Amuro, they overwhelmed him enough to where he gasp and sunk back into his chair.

"And the next time he uses his secret weapon, Earth itself could be destroyed." Amuro explained as Kamille held his arms over his chest, shaking from a chill that only he felt. "Or at the very least, he'll cause enough damage to kill every single person on the planet you're orbiting. And what do you think will happen to the moon? If Earth loses enough mass, its gravitational field will weaken. The moon won't be able to maintain its position. At best, you'll float off through the Sol System until you find a planet to latch onto or...you'll crash into Earth and both the moon and Earth will be gone."

Kamille breathed deeply, inhaling and exhaling while he processed the information he received.

"Is that what you want for Fa and Tetra?" Amuro refused to relent despite Kamille's condition. "This isn't about fighting for the Federation. This is about preserving the future of humanity... about preserving our right to chart and walk our course as well as we can. But if Char gets his way... any future that your daughter might have will be gone. Is that what you want for her?"

"Papa?" The adults turned to see little Tetra looking at her dad with a sad frown on her face. "What is wrong? Why are you sad?"

"Tetra... " Kamille wanted to say that he was fine, but that would a lie. Like her parents and her namesake, little Tetra would sense that he was lying because she could feel his stormy emotions. "I just learned things that...scare me. Things that make me sad and I don't know what I'll do."

"Can I help?" Amuro sat back down, watching Tetra walk to her father and sit on his knee. "I could make you cookies! Mama taught me how to put love in them! Cause cookies need love like everything does!"

Tears twinkled in Kamille's eyes as he looked upon his daughter. "It's late, you should be going to bed soon. But...we'll make cookies together tomorrow. Alright?"

"Okay! I love you papa!" Tetra hugged her father and then ran off back to her room.

"I'm not asking you to fight for the Federation or even for humanity. I'm not." Kamille was shocked by Amuro's admission. "Humanity is too broad of a term, a selfish label that excludes every other form of life and Earth itself. I'd rather say that I'm fighting for Earth and all of the people in it...especially those who I love."

Amuro looked to Kamille, who gave a small gaze between two photos. One being a line-up of the team during the old AEUG and Karaba alliance. The second was a recent photo of Kamille, Fa and Tetra posing next to Neal Armstrong's footprint.

"I'm asking you to help protect what I love." Amuro stared into Kamille's soul when the two men looked to each other. "I'm asking you to fight for those you love."

"I know that we're not perfect Kamille, we both know that." Amuro continued. "Mankind has made many mistakes, we've killed and hurt each other countless times. We've created weapons and poisons that have murdered children and babies. We've hunted animals to extinction and we've hurt nature despite all that she has given us. The leaders of the world don't look out for the people's interests and they scheme to take more for themselves. I've seen what humanity is capable of and I understand why Char would think that we don't deserve Earth. Why it's better to leave it or be wiped out."

"But we're more than that Kamille." Kamille felt something in Amuro then. A warmth within the cold shell that the man had made around his soul. Something glowing and spinning as Amuro spoke on. Whatever it was, Kamille felt inspired from just being in Amuro's presence. "We have the power to heal, to create, to build, and to restore. I've seen people put everything on the line to do it. We've also saved animals from extinction...wolves, buffalo, bears, lions...it was human effort to that saved them. It won't make up for what we did to them, but someone chose to do what they could. I've fought beside men and women who gave their last breath to pull a friend back to safety or to search a downed vessel for people to rescue."

"Char refuses to the see it. Or maybe he's lost the ability to see it." Amuro finished, looking back at Kamille. "But I won't. That's why I'm going to fight him and whatever plan he has. I can't fight him alone and that's why I need you with me-"

"Alright, you're droning on. It's not necessary." Kamille laughed, Amuro groaning at being pushed off of his roll. "You had me at 'we have the power to heal'. So when do we head out?"

"In the morning..." Kamille frowned again. "Sorry Kamille, we don't have a lot of time. I'd say tonight, but the next flight back to Earth doesn't leave until morning anyway."

"I...I understand..." Kamille sadly affirmed. "I'll...I'll need to explain this to Fa and Tetra...make a call to the hospital..."

"Do what you have to." Amuro replied, putting a hand on the man's sad shoulder. "Do what you can."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Hey! Hey! The gang's all recruited!**

 **Now to see if they'll actually sign the dotted line!**

 **Spoiler: They will, but it won't be cheap.**

 **Some clarity on the visions that the newtypes keep seeing, I'd figure its a downside to their status. Being attuned to the emotions of the living and the dead would have risks. Namely, if you're a newtype with PTSD from a situation involving someone you cared about, you're going to have a worst time than an "oldtype" with PTSD. And even normal veterans with PTSD can have severe episodes where they literally relive past trauma.**

 **However, there is a difference between Kamille and Amuro. I don't think it's clear now, but I'll explore it in later chapters.**

 **Thanks for reading, next time around, the whole gang will get to know exactly what they're being recruited for and then they'll enter an abridged boot camp.**

 **Fun times for all.**

 **Later.**


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